Tai Tarian tree planting programme points to greener future

Staff at Tai Tarian, one of the largest social housing providers in Wales, have stepped away from their day jobs to plant 420 trees in the Afan Valley in a bid to help tackle the climate crisis.

The exercise is the first in a number of special projects for the housing provider as they work towards their commitment of becoming a carbon neutral organisation by 2030.

Other initiatives include improving the energy performance of their homes and buildings, enhancing their bio-diversity programme, using electric power for their fleet of vans and looking at alternative ways for staff to commute to and from work.

The trees, which were donated by the Woodland Trust, were planted at the Parc Croeserw nature trail, in the village of Croeserw.  Varieties planted included hawthorn, rowan, blackthorn, silver birch, hazel and oak.

Over 20 staff were joined at the event by pupils from Croeserw Primary School’s Eco Committee, who were all given individual trees to plant.

This was just the first in a series of tree planting days organised by Tai Tarian.  Over the coming months the programme will be expanded throughout Neath Port Talbot, with local people having the opportunity to get involved in the project by adopting a tree.

Tai Tarian’s Deputy Director, Andrew Carey 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 and are 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.

We want to be a lead organisation when it comes to the environment.  We’ve done a lot of good work over the years on bio-diversity and we want to build on that over the next 10 years and become a carbon neutral organisation. 

There’s lots of talking being done and climate emergencies being declared but I think it’s time to stop talking and act now.”