City to be covered by 'urban forest' within decade

Newport, a city in Wales, is set to become much greener over the next decade thanks to an ambitious plan to plant nearly 30,000 new trees. This effort aims to increase the city's tree canopy coverage from 18% to 25%, meaning that a quarter of Newport will be shaded by tree branches and leaves. This project is part of a larger vision to create an 'urban forest' that will improve the environment and quality of life for residents. Currently, Newport already has about 250,000 trees, giving it the highest tree coverage of any Welsh city as of 2016. The new trees will be planted not only by the city council but also by private developers and landowners, all working together to make the city greener.

Joanne Gossage, the service manager for environment and leisure at Newport council, describes the city as having many 'green oasis' parks. She explains that an urban forest is not a dark or gloomy place but rather a network of trees that provide shade and beauty in urban spaces. These trees can be found along streets and in parks, creating pleasant areas for people to enjoy. The trees also offer many benefits, such as cooling the city, reducing flooding, improving biodiversity, and enhancing people's health and wellbeing. The council is working creatively to fund this project without putting too much strain on its budget.

Local residents like Daniel Key are excited about the plan. Daniel points out that Newport is currently a very built-up city with some run-down areas and many cars. He believes that planting more trees will help clean the air and make the city more attractive. He also hopes that the project will create jobs for local people. The city council hopes that by increasing tree coverage, Newport will become a healthier, more beautiful place to live, work, and visit, benefiting both the environment and the community.