Teignbridge District Council has a new strategy to increase tree cover in the district - and wants to hear your views.

The council wants to increase the current tree canopy cover of 22% up to the Woodland Trust's target of 25%, planting trees primarily on land it currently owns.

It comes as the council has recognised the potential benefits of having more trees, such as mitigating climate change, lessening the impact of flooding, and controlling pollution.

The council commits in the new strategy to maintaining a diverse tree stock, and currently hosts as many as 179 different species in nature reserves, parks, and churchyards.

It has been working with the Woodland Trust to plant over 1,500 saplings in each of the past two years and in the same period a further 2,500 in the council's new Ridge Top Park in Exminster.

Councillor Jackie Hook, Executive Member for Climate Change, said: "Making sure we maximise the number of trees being planted and ensure they are looked after properly is an important part of our strategy.

"Not only will we do this on our own land but we will work with Town and Parish Councils plus with other landowners to support their efforts, promoting good management of privately owned trees.

"We will also seek to attract more grant funding for trees which then can be made available to landowners as well as being planted on our own land."

As it is the first council strategy of its kind, feedback from residents is being sought.

If you'd like to give your views and shape the council's tree initiative, click here to access the survey.

The deadline is 30 July.

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