Volunteers sought to record important trees in Harborough district

Volunteers are being sought to help record important trees across Harborough.

A new app recording the most valuable and important trees in the county has been developed by Leicestershire County Council – and volunteers are being sought to test it out in the field.

The ‘Mergin’ app can be used to log details of ancient trees and those which might benefit from Tree Preservation Orders. All the data collected is then used by the council to build up a record of the county’s important trees to help safeguard them for the future.

The authority has issued an appeal for volunteers to go out and about in their communities to map and record the trees in the area.

The app will enable volunteers to record a large amount of data about each individual tree, including location, species, size, condition, age and shape, as well as any potential threats which might put the tree at risk.

Volunteers will need to complete around two hours of training on using the app, and will be signed up as Environment Action Volunteers, before being asked to go out and catalogue an initial 10 trees.

Data gathered in the project will also be shared with the Woodland Trust and tree officers from each of the county’s seven district councils.

Environment spokesman Cllr Blake Pain said: “Trees have a vital role to play in keeping our air clean, helping to prevent flooding and providing valuable habitats for local wildlife.

“Leicestershire’s trees can provide multiple benefits that improve the quality of life for our citizens and communities. We have identified tree and woodland planting as part of our response to the climate change and biodiversity crises and are working towards helping to plant a tree for every resident, with more than 250,000 planted so far.

“This project will help us map the valuable trees around the county, and the volunteers who sign up to use this new app are helping us to protect these trees for future generations, as well as playing a vital part in helping to make Leicestershire a cleaner, greener place to live, work and visit.”

Email [email protected] for more details about becoming an Environment Action Volunteer.