This is the first in a series of articles on green issues which Ashby Nub News will be running from time to time. Here, Ashby councillor Tom Stanley provides an update on the 'Tiny Forest' which is being set up at Western Park.

The planting of Ashby's Tiny Forest is due commence on November 30 at Western Park, with local residents receiving notification of the plans this week.

Earthwatch, who are managing the project, will be asking local residents to get involved as the concept comes to fruition.

There are currently 215 Tiny Forests across the UK, and this will be the first to be planted within the National Forest, of which Ashby sits proudly at its centre.

The forest will be planted using entirely native species with 600 saplings in total.

With our climate changing due to the increased amounts of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere tree planting is one way to combat this man-made problem.

Trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their trunks, branches, roots, and leaves.

Over time as the trees shed leaves and this organic matter is taken from the surface into the soil by worms and other living creatures to be stored within the soil.

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But removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is not the only benefit from the creation of the Tiny Forest.

As the trees grow, they will provide summer shade for people and they will also help to cool the surrounding area.

The forest will also create a perfect habitat for wildlife such as butterflies, beetles and birds to thrive in and for flowers to grow in that would not have appeared in the open grass field of the park.

Tree planting does not have to be at the scale of a tiny forest, and planting even one tree in your garden can provide some of the benefits mentioned above at a smaller scale.

A hedge will have similar effect and if you live on a busy street it will also absorb and disperse some of the noise from passing traffic as well as any pollution.