Thousands of trees to be planted in East Sussex

The Trees for the Down campaign, which is now entering its third year, is aiming to tackle climate change.

Thirty sites across Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex will be receiving new trees as part of the campaign, the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) confirmed.

The trees planted will be a mixture of disease-resistant elm trees and native species, such as oak and black poplar. Sites selected for planting include schools, farms, recreation grounds and historic parks.

According to SDNPA, having all these new trees to plant is only possible because of a ‘tremendous public response’ to the campaign – so far nearly £200,000 has been raised by the South Downs National Park Trust. The trust hopes to raise £260,000 to be able to plant 100,000 trees.

Ian Phillips, chair of the SDNPA, said, “The South Downs National Park is, somewhat surprisingly, the most wooded of all of England’s National Parks and we recognise the important benefits that trees bring to the landscape, nature, the economy and people.

“We want to extend and promote the role of trees in our National Park through sensitive and practical planting and good management – in town and country. I would therefore like to thank all those organisations and individuals who have contributed to the South Downs Trust’s Trees for the Downs campaign.

“This aims to plant 100,000 new trees in the South Downs over five years as an investment in a more sustainable future and we are well on the way to achieving this.”

Across East Sussex, the following sites have been selected for planting this winter: Ditchling Recreation Ground, Peacehaven Community Orchard, Hoddern Farm near Peacehaven, Centenary Park in Peacehaven, Long Man Parish, Old Mansion Close in Eastbourne.

If you want to get involved with planting email: [email protected]

To donate to Trees for the Downs: www.southdownstrust.org.uk/trees-for-the-downs/