A new scheme is offering free trees to landowners and communities.

The initiative, called 'Trees in the Landscape', is the first of its kind in Wychavon and is being run by the Heart of England Forest and Wychavon District Council.

The trees are funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

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The scheme is part of the Trees Call to Action Project, a partnership between the Heart of England Forest and the district councils of Stratford, Wychavon, and Warwick.

The project aims to increase tree cover across the three districts by working with communities and landowners.

Emma Pestridge, a project officer for the initiative, said: "We are really pleased to be able to offer free trees throughout Wychavon, following in the footsteps of similar successful schemes.

"We gave out 108 heritage fruit trees last year to communities and would love to help more local people and communities enhance the local landscape."

Various tree packs are available, including hedgerow packs, fruit trees, and woodland packs.

People can apply for anything from a single tree pack up to several.

The scheme is focusing its efforts on community orchards, which are a valuable asset to any neighbourhood.

The Trees Call to Action Project can also offer practical support for anyone looking to plant on a larger scale, where they may need to undertake Environmental Impact Assessments.

This is particularly relevant for those wanting to plant on a woodland scale using the Government’s English Woodland Creation Offer grant.

The deadline for requesting trees is on Sunday, November 3, at 11pm.

The trees will be available for collection on a specific day in December, depending on nursery lead-in times, and will need to be planted as soon as possible after being collected.

If your land falls within the local authority boundaries and you would like to plant trees this coming winter, you can apply online by visiting https://forms.gle/RAsP8SEwFJLZbvgw6.

The initiative follows the success of similar schemes in other districts.