Since 1980, the Woodland Trust has enabled the planting of more than 55 million trees. Sadly, the UK remains one of the least wooded countries in Europe and over the last 100 years 46 of the country’s broadleaved woodland wildlife species have become extinct. Trees have an important part to play in the fight against the climate and biodiversity emergencies – they are the multi taskers, not only locking up carbon, but also stemming flooding, sheltering livestock, and reducing pollution in towns and cities. However, the UK needs to drastically increase the number of woods planted annually to fight the climate catastrophe and maximise the benefits trees can bring.
The work of the Woodland Trust has never been more important. This decade, leading up to 2030, is pivotal as we face the imminent threat of climate change and nature loss. We know that woods and trees are vital to our health and our everyday lives, our history, and our future. Our planet needs us all to work together to tackle the climate and nature crises before it’s too late.
Although Hampshire is in the enviable position of being the most wooded county in England, pests, and diseases, like Ash dieback, put constant pressure of the landscape and can have a devastating impact on our existing trees. The JTCT is delighted to offer financial support to The Woodland Trust which helps them provide free tree packs to communities and schools in Hampshire.
The Woodland Trust aims is to give everyone in the UK the chance to plant a tree so every year they give away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities through their Tree Pack Initiative. Since the scheme started in 2010 it has helped people plant 15 million trees across the UK. The Trust have worked with thousands of different community groups who are actively planting on their doorstep and engaging with their local environment, helping to protect, enhance and create woodland areas.
To receive a free tree pack there is a simple online process that schools and communities follow to apply for a variety of packs (containing 30, 105, or 420 saplings), which will be planted in March and November depending on the size of the project, until their project is complete. Each season applicants can apply for up to four different packs, up to a maximum of 420 trees, to best suit their needs. All trees are sourced and grown in the UK and Ireland to minimise the risk of disease and each one is fully traceable from seed collection to planting.
Eight differing packs are available suitable for different environments including hedging, copse, wild harvest, wild wood, year round colour, wildlife packs which include hawthorn and blackthorn and urban packs designed for residential areas with limited communal space together with working wood packs.
The packs are sent boxed with instructions and to make the experience as valuable as possible for schools the Woodland Trust have also created engaging materials to support the tree planting activity and inspire pupils about trees and wildlife. The Tree Tools for Schools includes a planning tool to help schools choose the right tree pack, planting and after-care advice, along with interactive activities linked to the curriculum.
Since the Tree Pack initiative was introduced 13 years ago, the trees planted have provided the potential to lock up millions of tonnes of carbon and it has become a key delivery mechanism to get trees in the ground at a grass root level, giving everyone a chance to experience the benefits trees and woods bring to our lives which the JTCT is proud to support.
