Residents invited to help plant 4,000 hedgerow plants and trees along the Platinum Way

To celebrate National Tree Week (26 November- 5 December), Chiltern Rangers will be hosting nine days of tree planting events in Aylesbury which will see over 4,000 trees, hedgerow plants, native bulbs and wildflowers planted as part of the £1.4M upgrade to the Platinum Way Greenway in Aylesbury.

Buckinghamshire Council is working in partnership with Chiltern Rangers and the local community to realise the ambitious Bucks Tree Mission which aims to create a greener future by planting over 543,000 trees in Buckinghamshire over the next nine years. Take a look at the map displaying the tree planting locations along the Platinum Way route, can you join our mission?

If you’d like to get involved in the planting – even just for a couple of hours – please email [email protected]. They will then send you further details of each day's location for planting.

Details on the different events can also be found on Eventbrite, just search for Platinum Way on Eventbrite.

Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, will be going along to help plant trees alongside school children from Elmhurst School. Steven commented on the project:

"As part of the new Platinum Way shared cycle and footpath project, we’ve teamed up with Chiltern Rangers and the local community to make the route a haven for wildlife.

“The addition of 4,000 trees and hedgerow plants along the Platinum Way will further help to provide a peaceful and tranquil route for people to enjoy – whether it be on their commute to work, or a weekend stroll.

“With this huge target, it's not surprising that we'd love some help. So, if you can spare some time and would like to join us, please email [email protected] to register your interest and to find out the dates, times and locations of the planting.”

Gareth Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:

“The Bucks Tree Mission was a pledge made by Buckinghamshire Council in 2021 to plant a tree for every woman, man and child living in Buckinghamshire, and to support tree planting initiatives.

“Our ambition is to really improve the environment that we all live in. I’d like to thank the Chiltern Rangers and all the volunteers coming to help the planting along Platinum Way, for helping us create more space for nature to grow and thrive and to improve the health and wellbeing for everyone living and visiting Buckinghamshire.”

Chiltern Rangers will be providing tools and PPE for everyone but if you have your own gloves, please do bring them with you. Volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes, dress for the weather (long trousers are advisable as there is thorny vegetation). It’s also recommended that volunteers bring a packed lunch and plenty of fluids. However, there will be a tea kit and biscuits! Hand washing facilities will also be available.

Find out more about the Bucks Tree Mission.