Tai Tarian plants 420 trees as part of its carbon neutral pledge

Tai Tarian, one of the largest social housing providers in Wales has made a bold commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030, becoming one of the first large businesses in Wales to do so.

The organisation has developed an action plan to help them achieve this which includes enhancing the energy performance of their homes and buildings, using electric power for their fleet of vans, looking at alternative ways to commute and an extensive tree planting and bio-diversity programme.

The latter will start this week in the Afan Valley, where 420 trees will be planted, gifted by The Woodland Trust.

Tai Tarian will join forces with pupils from Croeserw Primary School to plant hawthorn, rowan, blackthorn, silver birch, hazel and oak saplings at Parc Croeserw, a nature trail which has just been created by the housing provider.

All 150 pupils at the school will be gifted with their very own tree sapling at part of Tai Tarian’s adopt a tree scheme and members of the schools Eco Committee will play a key role in helping staff with the planting exercise.

Over the coming months a programme of tree planting throughout Neath Port Talbot will be developed, with local people having the opportunity to get involved in the project by adopting a tree.

Chief Executive Linda Whittaker said:
“Planting trees is one of the most powerful ways that we can reduce the impact of climate change, something we are hugely committed to driving forward.

Trees remove carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from the air, capture and slow rainfall which reduces flooding and provide important habitats for birds, insects and animals.

Gifting trees to the local school and having their pupils join us on Thursday is something really special.  What makes it even more special is that this is just the start of our journey and I’m excited to see the difference we can make.”

More information:
Tai Tarian will aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, which will include their properties, offices and transport. We will achieve this through a combination of actions such as:

• Extensively investing in our homes, improving the energy performance wherever possible
• Using emerging technology to make homes and commercial buildings smarter
• Continue our pioneering work in making renewable energy in new homes cost effective
• Introducing an extensive tree planting and bio-diversity programme
• Gradually change our vehicle fleet to electric power
• Encouraging employees to make less use of cars, by car sharing, cycling or other solutions.
• Working more flexibly, either from home or from community hubs, reducing overall travel distances