An Arrow Escape for York Councillor!

4.45.00pm GMT Wed 5th Dec 2007

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure & Culture welcomed Robin Hood to York today to receive an oak sapling from Sherwood Forest. The temporary gift forms part of the campaign to secure lottery funding to transform the Sherwood Forest Visitors Centre and to ensure the ancient oaks of Sherwood are protected.

Cllr Vassie said, "I am delighted to welcome the country's oldest hoodie to York. There are nearly a thousand oak trees over 600 hundred years old in Sherwood forest. With forests all around the world being destroyed, it is only right that we should support this plan to protect one of Europe's finest woodlands."

City of York Council is keen to see more trees planted in York. In the new year the Council will be launching a tree donation scheme to give residents the opportunity to offset their carbon emissions. Residents without gardens or without the space to plant a tree in their own garden will be able to pay to have trees planted in parks and open spaces across the city.

Cllr Vassie said, "Trees not only fix carbon, they also remove harmful pollutants from the air. We can hope that, eventually, some of the trees we are planting in York will match the splendor of those in Sherwood forest. In the meantime they will be removing carbon from the atmosphere and improving biodiversity in our city."