25th February 2022

This week our Projects Manager – Russell Blunt, and Marketing Manager – Matthew Swift ventured out to Cold Norton for a spot of volunteering in the local community.

The Essex County Council started the Essex Forest Initiative to plant 375,000 by 2025, equivalent to the size of 210 football pitches. The main motivators behind this being the sequestering of carbon, improvement of air quality, creation and connecting of habitats for wildlife, and the joining of people with nature – values that really resonate with us here at City & Essex.

Through the wind and rain, a total of 900 native trees were planted, protected, and mulched. Varieties such as oak, birch, and hedgerow were planted to both complement the existing trees and improve the landscape for wildlife and people alike. We can’t wait to follow the progress of these trees in years to come!

“Having representatives from City and Essex was a great boost to the day’s productivity, and it was great to have members from the team giving their time to help with such an important project. We hope to continue collaborating with them for future planting seasons.”

Tom Moat, Forestry and Woodland Officer for the Essex County Council.

“This was a great chance for us to support the local community and speak to the passionate teams that are leading important initiatives like this. Although it was hard work, it was refreshing to get a new perspective on tree planting projects and the benefits to carbon absorption, local biodiversity, and flood prevention. It was rewarding seeing all the trees in the ground, and it felt great to help out. We can’t wait to join Tom and the team later this year!”

Matthew Swift, Marketing Manager