BLOSSOMING tree circles will be planted in towns and cities across the UK “to help signal reflection and hope” following the Covid-19 pandemic, including in the North-East.

The National Trust aims to create the green spaces in and around urban areas over the next five years to connect more people to nature as part of its blossom campaign, which begins next month.

In Newcastle, the charity is working in collaboration with Newcastle City Council and Urban Green Newcastle to create an area in Exhibition Park which reflects the unique character of the city and its communities.

It comes as many recognised the importance of access to nature during the coronavirus pandemic, finding nature beneficial to both physical health and mental wellbeing.

Robyn Brown, Regional Director of Operations for the National Trust in the North-East, said: “We’re delighted that Newcastle will be one of the cities to benefit from this unique project. By working with our partners at Newcastle City Council and Urban Green Newcastle we hope to create a space that really makes a difference to the daily lives of our community and helps nature to thrive in Newcastle.

“The last 12 months have been difficult for many of us as our lives have adapted to the changes. The pandemic has highlighted how incredibly important nature-rich green space is to everyone, and while many of our outdoor National Trust places in the North East have remained open for local visitors to enjoy, we recognise that these do tend to be based in rural locations. Through this partnership project we’ll be able to bring nature and blossom to the heart of the city so that even more people can benefit.”

The trees will be among those planted to meet the Trust’s ambition to plant 20 million trees by 2030 to help tackle climate change and create new homes for nature.

Clare Penny-Evans, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for climate Ccange and communities, said: “The past year with long wearisome spells in lockdown periods has allowed our communities to rediscover the importance of our local surroundings, with green open spaces providing a welcome relief while we’ve spent much of each day confined to our homes.

“They bring benefits to our physical and mental wellbeing, provide a home for wildlife, and additional planting is absolutely in line with our ambitious environmental objectives.

“We’re proud of the wonderful parks, greenspaces and wildflower meadows we already have in Newcastle and are always looking to improve the offer to residents, and we look forward to working with Urban Green Newcastle and The National Trust on this project.”

Residents will be able to use the new blossom spaces as quiet places for reflection, peace and enjoyment.  The conservation charity will work with partners and local communities on the design, tree planting and plans for how the spaces will be used now and in the future. 

The spaces can be used in various ways including for events and social gatherings, workshops, festivals and exhibitions as lockdown restrictions are eased.