Words by Smiley Team
Ahead of the COP26 climate summit this November, conservation charity The Woodland Trust has launched an ambitious campaign, The Big Climate Fightback, which aims to plant 50 million native trees around the UK by 2025.
Planting will commence with 700,000 free trees sent to schools and communities this autumn, followed by 680,000 more available for applications now, to plant next March.
[Discover more impressive efforts to combat climate change]
The People’s Postcode Lottery funded the effort in hope that it will significantly benefit the environment. Their head of charities, Laura Chow, explained: “The Big Climate Fightback aims to rally the nation to get behind tree planting by finding those underused areas in our communities that could accommodate more trees and make a difference in the fight against climate change and provide havens for wildlife.”
This is particularly important in the UK, where trees cover only 13% of land compared to 37% elsewhere in Europe.
Chief executive of The Woodland Trust, Dr Darren Moorcroft, said: “The UK has created less than 300,000 hectares of new woodland in the last 20 years. Over the next 20 years, we need three times that amount – and 1.44 million hectares of new woodland by 2050.”
[Read positive news stories from Smiley Movement]
He added: “It's an uphill task and the pace needs to pick up, but together it can be done.”
The Woodland Trust works across the UK to protect, restore and plant trees that will help wildlife to thrive and absorb CO2 emissions from the air. Apply for free trees as a school or community or purchase trees for your garden here.
Find more information and support the charity at woodlandtrust.org.
