Tree-planting drive takes root as National Trust record first 60,000 saplings in bid for 20million

Tree-planting drive takes root as National Trust record first 60,000 saplings in bid for 20million more

  • National Trust has received £500,000 in public donations for its campaign 
  • Charity has planted 60,000 trees so far and plans to plant 20million by 2030 
  • More locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been earmarked 

The National Trust has planted 60,000 saplings in the first part of its drive to plant 20million trees by 2030.

The charity has received nearly £500,000 in public donations for its ten-year campaign and has been identifying sites to boost nature, fight climate change and protect landscapes.

More locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been earmarked for the next tranche of 1.5million trees set to be planted within a couple of years. 

 More locations in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been earmarked for the next tranche of 1.5million trees set to be planted within a couple of years. (National Trust ranger David Smith preparing saplings_

Undated handout photo issued by the National Trust of tree planting taking place at Hafod Garegog in North Wales

Undated handout photo issued by the National Trust of tree planting taking place at Hafod Garegog in North Wales

John Deakin, head of woodland and trees, said: ‘It’s clear people have a big connection and love for trees, and these funds have been vital. We are poised to accelerate the next phase of planting.’

The plan echoes the Mail’s Be A Tree Angel campaign when readers funded more than 170,000 plantings.

Other projects which have been able to get underway include Sherborne Park Estate in Gloucestershire, where 9,000 trees and shrubs are being planted across eight acres of land.

More than 16,000 trees have been planted as part of a 125,000-tree project to create coast woodland and wood pasture on the north Devon coast, expanding existing areas of woods to help tackle the climate crisis and create corridors for wildlife to move along.

At Hafod Garegog, in North Wales, where land was reclaimed for agriculture in the Glaslyn estuary at Porthmadog in 1811, species such as aspen, willow and black poplar that can deal with wet conditions are being planted on the rush-covered land.

The National Trust’s ambitious fundraising drive echoes that of the Daily Mail’s Be A Tree Angel campaign, which encouraged readers to donate to tree-planting causes across the country.

More than 170,000 trees were funded by donations, 20,000 trees were donated to Forestry Comission Scotland and 1,500 schools were able to receive an orchard.