LANDOWNERS from across the Worcestershire are being encouraged to plant trees to help combat climate change and help wildlife.
The plea comes from the Woodland trust which has this week reopened applications for its flagship woodland creation scheme MOREwoods for anyone looking to get trees in the ground in the forthcoming 2021/22 planting season which starts in November.
Emma Briggs, the charity’s senior project lead for woodland creation, said: “A common misconception about creating woodland is that you need a lot of land but the beauty of MOREwoods is that you only need half a hectare to be eligible, which is around the size of half a rugby pitch.
“Whether you’re a farmer, smallholder, private business, NHS Trust, university campus or an individual, there are so many reasons to plant trees.
“We are in the grips of a climate and nature emergency and trees are natural warriors in the fight against both.
“They lock up carbon, enrich soils, improve water quality, slow the flow of flooding, provide shade, shelter and a haven for wildlife and of course they look good too.”
The Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods scheme is open to anyone wanting to plant woodland of at least 500 trees on at least half a hectare of land.
“The charity can visit your site with you to help design the woodland, create a bespoke species mix, help with form filling, supply the agreed trees and protection, and cover up to 75 per cent of costs as well as arrange for contractors to plant the trees.
All trees and shrubs are native broadleaved species that will help local landscapes become more diverse and therefore more resilient to future threats such as pests and disease, and they’re all UK sourced and grown.
MOREwoods is funded by Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland as part of a broader commitment to plant one million trees a year over the next decade.
For more information visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant or call 0330 333 3300.
