Tree Strategy

The Tree Strategy 2024-2039 sets out the way the Council will manage and enhance trees in the Vale of Glamorgan over the next 15 years, including a commitment to increase canopy cover by 7.5% by 2039.

Trees and Woodlands form an important part of both the urban and rural landscapes of the Vale of Glamorgan. 

This Strategy looks at how the Council will protect, manage and increase tree canopy cover in the Vale to build resilience, address climate change and biodiversity loss as trees are integral to our environment and have a key role in tackling climate change.

In July 2019, the Council joined the Welsh Government and other Local Authorities across the UK in declaring a Climate Emergency in response to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report into the impact of global warming.

In addition to this in July 2021, the Council declared a Nature Emergency following the `State of Nature 2019` National Biodiversity Network (NBN) report that found that 8% of species found in Wales (523) are threatened with extinction from Britain, 17% (666) are threatened with extinction from Wales and 73 have already become extinct.

The Council have formed this Tree Strategy as part of Project Zero, the Council's plan to become carbon neutral by 2030, as trees, woodlands and hedgerows have a vital role in addressing climate extremes and the loss of biodiversity.

In addition to mitigating biodiversity loss and climate change, trees are also a cost-effective way to improve the environmental quality within our towns and villages, delivering physical, social wellbeing and economic benefits. 

A public consultation was carried out on the draft Tree Strategy from January - April 2024. The consulation took the form of a questionnaire, and responses were analysed and used to inform the final version of the Tree Strategy.