Our Essex Forest Initiative has won a prestigious Green Apple Environment Award.
The initiative is a five-year project which involves planting 375,000 trees across Essex. Now in its third year, 143,059 trees have been planted.
The Green Apple Environment Awards are part of an annual international campaign established by The Green Organisation, an independent, not-for-profit, non-political environment group. They were established in 1994 to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world.
The Essex Forest Initiative was up against more than 500 other nominations in the Green Apple Environment Awards.
Cllr Peter Schwier, ECC’s Climate Czar, said: “I’m delighted to have received this news. To see that the Essex County Council has been recognised for its hard work with the Essex Forest Initiative, at such a high level, is a brilliant step forward.
“Our organisational target at Essex County Council is to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and planting trees is a very important part of our journey towards that.
“By increasing numbers of trees in both rural and urban areas, our resilience to climate change is strengthened too, helping to cut down the risk of flooding and extreme heat.”
The awards ceremony will take place in the Houses of Parliament, London, on 21 November.
Find out more about the Essex Forest Initiative and how to get involved.