Even more trees will be planted across Hertfordshire this year after the county council confirmed it will provide 128,000 saplings in 2025/26 — the highest number ever outside of a special Jubilee planting programme.

Hertfordshire County Council, now led by the Liberal Democrats, says the move will help make towns and villages greener while boosting biodiversity and tackling carbon emissions.

The new figure represents a 13 per cent increase on last year's total of 113,000 trees and nearly 40,000 more trees than were planted under the previous administration.

Many of the saplings will be available to residents through the expanded 'Your Tree, Our Future' scheme, which provides trees free of charge for planting in private gardens, along with professional guidance on how to care for them as they grow.

Trees are also being planted on public and private land for projects including highway verges, hedgerows, community orchards, woodland creation and wildlife habitats — initiatives likely to benefit communities across North Hertfordshire, including Hitchin.

Councillor Paul Zukowskyj, Executive Member for Environment, said: "We were really pleased to get to 113,000 trees — but then realised we had the capacity to take things even further. 128,000 is a very significant figure. All these trees will trap carbon and increase biodiversity. They'll augment gardens, verges and green spaces. I'd like to heartily thank council officers for their hard work and dedication in achieving this amazing result. Next year, our Lib Dem council will set an even more ambitious target."

Residents interested in receiving a free tree or learning more about future planting schemes can visit the county council website via the Your Tree, Our Future programme.

The expanded scheme comes as councils across Hertfordshire respond to growing public demand for greener spaces and stronger local action on climate and nature recovery.

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