Green Christmas tree planting initiative
A tree will be planted for every 100 mobile phone car parking payments made by residents and visitors in St Albans District during the festive season.
The Green Christmas initiative has been launched by St Albans City and District Council’s cashless parking provider PayByPhone.
They have teamed up with the Eden Reforestation Project which aims to reverse deforestation across the globe.
Trees resulting from the District’s parking scheme will be planted at mangrove swamps in Madagascar, a country off the coast of East Africa.
The swamps are in the World Wildlife Fund’s Global 200 list of the planet’s most outstanding ecoregions.
All on-street parking pay and display locations in the District will be included along with a number of the Council’s car parks.
The car parks involved are the Civic Centre, Adelaide Street, Keyfield Terrace, London Road, all St Albans, and Amenbury Lane, Bowers West and East, and Lydekker, all Harpenden.
Green Christmas will run in the District throughout December and it should result in around 400 trees being planted.
Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, said:
Our priority as a Council is tackling the climate emergency and this Green Christmas scheme is another action we are taking in support of that.
This PayByPhone initiative will make a positive impact on the environment and I am sure residents and visitors will be pleased to contribute to it.
Rebecca Maisey, UK Client Director for PayByPhone, said:
It’s marvellous to see a Council being so proactive in getting behind our Green Christmas campaign.
Since we launched Green Christmas in 2019, we have donated over 77,000 trees to-date. This year we’re aiming to beat our current annual record and donate more than 30,000 trees. I’m confident with the help of St Albans City & District Council, we may get there.
Environmental consciousness is at the core of our business decision-making and our award-winning green initiatives are helping to leave a sustainable legacy for future generations.
Councillor contact: Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, cllr.a.rowlands@stalbans.gov.uk, 07761 232064.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City District Council: 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.