Posted on: Friday 7 November 2025
Hundreds of trees and shrubs will be planted this winter, as part of a joint initiative with Bron Afon Community Housing.
The Branching Out project will see trees, including oak, cherry, rowan, birch and hazel, planted in school grounds and Bron Afon sites, alongside hawthorn, field maple and Holly saplings to create new hedging and help re-establish existing hedges.
The areas were earmarked during a public consultation in 2022, with suggestions from local residents included.
More than 8,500 trees and shrubs have been planted since the project was launched three years ago.
The project is funded by the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature programme and sits alongside the council’s tree planting programme.
Cllr Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Trees are an essential part of our environment – not only do they provide food and shelter for animals, insects and other plants, they also improve air quality and reduce temperatures, which makes areas more pleasant to live in and helps to tackle climate change.”
Mark Burchell, trees specialist with Bron Afon Community Housing, said: “We're incredibly proud to be part of a project that’s making such a meaningful difference to our communities and natural environment.
“Planting over 8,500 trees and shrubs in just three years is a remarkable achievement, and it's inspiring to see the positive impact this work is having—not just for wildlife and biodiversity, but for our communities and well-being of local people too.”
Find out more by following the Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen Local Nature Partnership on social media.