This National Tree Week (22nd–30th November), Affinity Water is celebrating the start of the winter planting season by preparing to plant nearly 19,000 native trees across its regions.
The trees will be planted across a mix of Affinity Water-owned sites and third-party land in partnership with local farmers and landowners. The species will consist of a mix of hedgerow trees such as Goat Willow, Wild Cherry and Dogwood and singular trees such as Silver Birch, Field Maple and Pedunculate Oak. Together, these efforts will help create healthier landscapes, protect wildlife, and reduce flood risk.
This winter’s planting is part of a wider effort to restore and reconnect natural landscapes across the region. By planting trees in carefully chosen areas, Affinity Water is allowing land to hold water in our catchments for longer, reducing downstream flood risk, replenishing groundwater, and creating wetland habitats that filter and purify water naturally. These habitats are home to a rich variety of native species and play a crucial role in maintaining clean, healthy water for both wildlife and people.
“Tree planting is a vital part of our work to create healthier, more resilient catchments,” said Charlotte Johnson, Senior Asset Scientist at Affinity Water. “By planting thousands of trees across our region, we’re helping to create cleaner water and soils from the source, reduce flood risk and provide thriving habitats for local wildlife.”
Earlier this year, Affinity Water teams planted over 7,000 more trees at sites on the River Brett, near Harlow and Hitchin. Native species such as oak, hazel, crab apple and silver birch were chosen for their ability to support local ecosystems and increase biodiversity.
Affinity Water is committed to planting 110,000 trees by 2030, as part of the water industry’s national pledge to plant 11 million trees and create a more sustainable, climate-resilient future.
Part of this work is being delivered in collaboration with Affinity Water’s ‘Water in the Landscape’ scheme, which supports farmers and landowners to introduce natural solutions that improve biodiversity, enhance soil health and increase water resilience across the regions.
Find out how you can get involved this National Tree Week at the Tree Council website, and explore the work Affinity Water is doing to protect and restore biodiversity across its region on the Affinity Water Biodiversity page.
ENDS
For further press information, please contact 01707 277110 or news@affinitywater.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
About Affinity Water:
Affinity Water has been supplying water to the local community for more than 170 years. Their mission is to provide sustainable, high-quality water and work together with their community to make better use of water and safeguard the local environment now and in the future. They are the largest water-only supply company in the United Kingdom and provide 950 million litres of water each day to a population of more than 3.9 million people. The areas they cover are in the Southeast of England, including Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, and parts of London, as well as the Tendring peninsula in Essex and the Folkestone and Dover areas of Kent.