When people think of Bradford, it is a fair bet that trees and woodland are not the first things to spring to every mind.

That is not, perhaps, surprising because many will see Bradford as a gritty northern city rather than a district comprising some beautiful countryside.

In fact, there are many Bradfordians who are unaware that the Metropolitan District is two-thirds rural.

But even taking into account all that countryside, woodland cover for the area is actually said to be below the national average.

Addressing that situation was one of the aims of the Forest of Bradford project when it was set up in 1998.

Since then, the Bradford Environmental Action Trust scheme has had a massive impact, planting more than 385,000 broad-leaved trees at more than 300 different locations across the district.

These are not just in rural areas but in urban areas too, meaning the benefits are widely spread.

Another measure of the project’s success is how well it has been supported by the community, with people from all walks of life and local businesses offering help.

This commitment is typified by the work of those who gave up their time for planting sessions over one of the coldest winters in memory, ensuring more trees were put in the ground than in an average winter.

The scheme has some way to go before achieving its goal, but with such magnificent backing there can be no doubt it will get there – and Bradford will be an even greener, more pleasant land as a result.