‘FREE TREES’ could be on their way to Wellington to support a National Highways campaign to plan an additional three-million by 2030.

National Highways has secured a supply of UK native trees from a variety of seeds and these are being grown to two-year bare root whips, young trees, of up to 90cms in size.

The first 600,000 whips will be ready to leave the nurseries for planting from October 2024 and then a further 600,000 every year thereafter until 2029.

But a National Highways spokesman said: “We have only enough room on our own estate to plant than ten per cent of three million trees – so we are looking to engage with organisations that own or have access to land available for tree planting.”

Wellington Town Council is keen to do its bit for the environment and to tackle climate change and planting new trees in the area is a quick and easy way of doing something positive.

Members of the council’s environment committee met on May 22 and were keen to get involved in the National Highways project.

The Deputy Mayor, Cllr Catherine Govier, said: “If we can get free trees – let’s do it.”

And Cllr Sean Pringle-Kosikowsky said: “I’m all in favour of this.”

Cllr John Thorne, who spoke ahead of the meeting as a member of the public rather than as a councillor, said: “I would urge this committee to take up this offer and get as many trees as you can.

“Planting trees is one of the quickest and best ways to cut carbon emissions. This would be a quick win and we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

Among the young trees available include sycamore, alder, silver birch, hornbeam, hazel, hawthorn, beech, holly, crab apple, willow, oak and rowan.

Councillors agreed to support the issue in principle and look at the next steps in the application process for new trees.

National Highways has said that the first batch of new trees will have to be planted between November and February with the “whips” being delivered to the chosen applicants from October.