Thousands of trees to be planted across North Somerset this month

North Somerset Council plans to plant 5,000 trees, donated by the Woodland Trust, across the area in a bid to help mitigate effects of climate change.

Planting will begin on February 15 in Portishead where more than 300 trees will be planted.

Wick St Lawrence will see 379 trees planted, while in Weston, 269 will be planted in Hutton Moor, 215 in Locking Road, 120 in Locking Moor Road and 115 in Ashcombe Park.

In Worle, 109 will be planted in Castle Batch and Yatton will get 116.

Potential sites were identified in a consultation which saw nearly 500 people respond with 78 per cent supporting rewilding and more than 250 people volunteering to help with the project.

Where concerns were expressed over some areas identified for rewilding, there will be further consultation with people on what is most appropriate.

Cllr Bridget Petty, the council's executive member for climate emergency and the environment, said: "Planting these 5,000 trees is the exciting first step in delivering our promise to rewild North Somerset and address our climate emergency.

"We would love everyone to stay involved by looking after the areas where we are planting, delivering the next phases of tree planting and managing the tall grass areas in the future."

Last year, the council agreed to rewild as much of its land as possible, in a bid to create more habitats and increase biodiversity and help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Overall the authority, which owns around two million sq.m verges, parks and open spaces, plans to plant 50,000 trees, 25 hectares and grow 40 hectares of tall grass reducing the areas of regularly mown grass by 25 per cent.

It has also decided to deliver rewilding by letting areas of grass grow throughout the summer and cutting it in autumn and planting more trees.

More rewilding projects are planned for later in the year.

A council spokesman said: "If you'd like to help plant the trees please turn up, just bring a spade, good footwear and suitable clothes for the weather."

This is a list of the dates and times of plantings:

February 18

Weston, Bournville Youth Club, Coleridge Road - 9.30am (150 trees).

Locking, Locking Moor Road - 1pm (120 trees) - meet at lay-by between helicopter museum roundabout and Elm Tree Road

February 19

Yatton, Arnolds Way - 10am (116 trees) - meet at the corner of Brunel Way and Arnolds Way

Weston, Hutton Moor - 1pm (269 trees) - meet in Hutton Moor car park by the field gate

February 20

Wick St Lawrence, Cricket Field, Poppy Close - 10am (379 trees) - meet behind the Ebdon Arms on the open space

February 26

Weston, Powis Close - 9.30am (143 trees) - meet at the end of the cul-de-sac at Powis Close

Worle, Castle Batch - 1pm (109 trees) - meet at Castle Batch car park

February 27

West Wick, Scot Elm Drive - 10am (195 trees) - meet at the entrance to the school on Scot Elm Drive

February 29

Worle, Lynch Farm - 9.30am (211 trees) - meet at the path from Rossendale Close

Weston, Silverberry - 2pm (104 trees) - meet on the open space from Verbena Way

March 1

Weston, Locking Road - 9.30am (215 trees) - meet at the corner of Baytree View and Locking Road

Weston, Ashcombe Park - 2pm (115 trees) - meet by the bottom play area in Ashcombe Park.