FREE trees are up for grabs as part of a pioneering drive to make Middlesbrough a greener town.
Green-fingered residents can pick up free trees to plant in their gardens and local community as part of a Council strategy to help tackle carbon emissions.
The young ‘whips' - trees in the first stages of growth - are being handed out for free by the Council in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City.
They're available to any Middlesbrough resident or group to plant in gardens, community spaces or other land agreed by the Council.
A maximum of six trees are available per resident, with community groups able to request up to 20 per group.
Middlesbrough Council planted more 700 trees last year as part of its wide-ranging Green Strategy that is in line with the government's national and international plans to tackle climate change.
Earlier this month council teams planted fruit trees at Pennyman Primary School in Middlesbrough in conjunction with Thirteen Housing Group, to teach budding environmentalists about the importance of being sustainable.
Trees can provide shade and absorb and store CO2 from pollution which could help to make a big difference to Middlesbrough's carbon output.
The Council's strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions for the town to zero by 2039.
Councillor Dennis McCabe, Middlesbrough Council's Executive member for Environment, said: "We're really excited to invite people to come forward to pick up the tree whips and get planting.
"It's not only great for the environment, but it's a low-cost way to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
"We're doing some incredible work as a council to be greener for current and future generations, and we'd love people of all ages to get involved with tree planting in their area, please spread the word far and wide in your community."
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added: "As the lungs of our environment trees couldn't be more important, and that's why we can never have enough of them.
"I set a target of planting 10,000 trees across Middlesbrough, and initiatives like this are a great way to meet and then far exceed that number."
Green-fingered residents can pick up free trees to plant in their gardens and local community as part of a Council strategy to help tackle carbon emissions.
The young ‘whips' - trees in the first stages of growth - are being handed out for free by the Council in partnership with Middlesbrough Environment City.
They're available to any Middlesbrough resident or group to plant in gardens, community spaces or other land agreed by the Council.
A maximum of six trees are available per resident, with community groups able to request up to 20 per group.
Middlesbrough Council planted more 700 trees last year as part of its wide-ranging Green Strategy that is in line with the government's national and international plans to tackle climate change.
Earlier this month council teams planted fruit trees at Pennyman Primary School in Middlesbrough in conjunction with Thirteen Housing Group, to teach budding environmentalists about the importance of being sustainable.
Trees can provide shade and absorb and store CO2 from pollution which could help to make a big difference to Middlesbrough's carbon output.
The Council's strategy aims to reduce carbon emissions for the town to zero by 2039.
Councillor Dennis McCabe, Middlesbrough Council's Executive member for Environment, said: "We're really excited to invite people to come forward to pick up the tree whips and get planting.
"It's not only great for the environment, but it's a low-cost way to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
"We're doing some incredible work as a council to be greener for current and future generations, and we'd love people of all ages to get involved with tree planting in their area, please spread the word far and wide in your community."
Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston added: "As the lungs of our environment trees couldn't be more important, and that's why we can never have enough of them.
"I set a target of planting 10,000 trees across Middlesbrough, and initiatives like this are a great way to meet and then far exceed that number."
- The trees will be available to pick up for one week from Thursday, December 3 to Thursday, December 10, coinciding with National Tree Week which starts on Saturday, November 28.