A tree will be planted for every resident in in the county, Warwickshire County Council has today announced.

The extensive planting will see over half a million new trees across Warwickshire over the next few years.

Tress will be planted to restore parts of forests and wooded areas that have been lost, such as the ancient Forest of Arden.

Cllr Heather Timms said the UK will need to plant a million more trees nationally to become carbon net zero.

"In Warwickshire," she said, "we are now committed to playing our part in planting close to half that amount."

Cllr Timms has also called on residents, companies and other councils to pull their weight.

"There are no greater challenges facing humanity than those posed by the climate emergency. The response to this crisis cannot be met by local or national governments acting alone.

"It will require a concerted effort by all of us, making changes, large and small, to reverse the damage that we have done to our planet and its ecosystems."

Office for National Statistics data states that the population of Warwickshire (taken in 2020) is 583,786.

WCC has already secured a £212,000 grant from the Forestry Commission to plant the first 2,000 trees on council-owned farms and open spaces in rural areas of Warwickshire.

The council is also funding a number of schemes through the green shoots community climate change fund such as the children's forest at Leasowe Farm.

Residents are also encouraged to support the Queen's Green Canopy programme next year.

Cllr Timms added the plans demonstrated the council's commitment to reaching carbon net zero.

"There are few better demonstrations of our commitment, as local authorities in Warwickshire, to play our part in addressing the climate emergency than our coming together with a commitment to plant a native tree for each of our residents," she said.

Residents can keep track of new trees planted through the West Midlands Combined Authority's Virtual Forest Platform.

More Kenilworth news stories:

- Police officers allegedly headbutted, kicked and punched whilst attending incident

- Fire station marks 14th anniversary of death of four firefighters who died in Atherstone warehouse fire