TWO of Solihull Council’s teams have been awarded prestigious Green Apple Environment Awards for their work in tackling climate change.
The Planting Our Future team – which also picked up two regional awards earlier this month – was given an International Green Apple Environment Award in recognition of its tree planting successes and community engagement, education and environmental awareness work.
Over the last two years, with the support of over 400 volunteers, they have planted 51,000 trees and are on target to plant another 25,000 this season.
The Council’s Highway Infrastructure team and partners Balfour Beatty Living Places (BBLP) were also presented with the prestigious Green Champion Award for Carbon Reduction in recognition of their work on improving and creating walking and cycling routes throughout the borough.
During the Council’s £16.8 million Wildlife Ways project the team improved 69 km of existing paths and cycle routes and created 23 km of new footways.
Coun Ian Courts, leader of Solihull Council, said: “Commitment to the environment and to meeting our carbon net zero target is at the heart of our work at the council, but we can’t achieve this on our own.
“The Planting Our Future team works hard to raise awareness of the importance of tree planting and has worked with hundreds of local residents, businesses, schools, colleges and voluntary groups to locate and plant new areas.
“Their award not only recognises the team itself, but all the volunteers who have rolled up their sleeves, often on cold and windy days, to support this vital work. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in planting 51,000 trees in the last couple of years.”
Coun Ken Hawkins, cabinet member for environment added: “I would like to thank staff in our Highway Infrastructure team and our partners Balfour Beatty Living Places who continued to build and improve extensive cycling and walking routes during the pandemic.
“Their work means that people have many more ways to travel in the borough without using cars, congratulations to Highways and Balfour Beatty Living Places.”
Visit https://www.lovesolihull.org/plantingourfuture for more information.
