Bury St Edmunds water meadows grow greener with black poplar tree planting

25 Nov 2024

To celebrate National Tree Planting Week 2024, West Suffolk Council and local community groups planted a black poplar tree at No Man’s Meadow in Bury St Edmunds.

The black poplar tree is one of Britain’s most endangered native trees and is vital to the health of wetland ecosystems. 

The tree was grown as part of a species stock at Nowton Park, which is the established Suffolk clone bank for the Black Poplar Project that increases the tree’s genetic diversity. 

Representatives from the Suffolk Tree Wardens, Bury Water Meadows Group and West Suffolk Park Ranger team joined Cllr Cliff Waterman and Cllr Gerald Kelly to plant the black poplar tree.

Cllr Cliff Waterman, Leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “By planting this particular species of tree, we are investing in the environmental resilience of the water meadows by providing a habitat for wildlife, enhancing green spaces and supporting the ecosystems in the area. The wet meadow land is an ideal planting location for black poplar trees due to the species thriving in boggy ground and the size to which they can grow.”

Cllr Gerald Kelly, Cabinet Member for Governance, Regulatory and Environment at West Suffolk Council, said: “The black poplar is one of Britain’s most endangered native trees, with only a few thousand mature specimens remaining. They are known for their ability to grow quickly and absorb carbon dioxide efficiently, and therefore contribute to the broader goal of creating a sustainable environment in the face of climate change.”

Over the forthcoming tree planting season there are local initiatives designed to encourage landowners to plant more trees such as the East Anglia tree giveaway led by the Woodlands Trust, which aims to give away over 50,000 trees to farmers across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex.

For more information on the East Anglia tree giveaway, visit: Woodland Trust - East Anglia Tree Giveaway

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