NEW trees have been planted in Bailey Park in Abergavenny following felling at the end of last year.

With help from Cantref Primary School’s eco club, Abergavenny’s Bailey Park now has five brand new English Oak trees and five Copper Beech trees.

The trees have been dedicated to the Queen for the Platinum Jubilee.

After inspections of Bailey Park’s green infrastructure, a number of the trees in the park had to be removed last year for safety reasons.

To compensate for the loss, 21 trees have been planted this year.

Cantref Primary School’s eco club gave a helping hand to the Monmouthshire County Council (MCC)'s grounds staff with the planting of ten of the new trees, five English oak and five copper beech.

The Friends of Bailey Park have also planted wildflowers during the winter and plans to improve the park’s green infrastructure will be developed this summer, including a review of the brook and a long-term tree management and planting plan.

Grants from Welsh Government, through the Gwent Green Grid Partnership (GGGP), have allowed the council to improve and develop green infrastructure in Monmouthshire, with Bailey Park being the latest beneficiary.

The GGGP is a three-year project running from March 2020 to March 2023.  

The GGGP aims to improve and develop green infrastructure – a term used to describe the network of natural and semi-natural features, green spaces, rivers and lakes that intersperse and connect villages, towns and cities.

A spokesperson for MCC said: “Green infrastructure has a crucial role to play in addressing nature, climate and health emergencies.

"It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm of local school children planting trees in Bailey Park to improve our natural environment, and their local park.”

MCC are working with Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Newport and Torfaen councils as well as Natural Resources Wales, Forest Research and the Severn Wye Energy Agency in the GGG Partnership.