Trees are just there, right?
In the back garden, the local park, along the road side and, of course, in the many forests we use for cycling, walking and picnics, trees are just there. They are a part of our landscape and we watch as they change through the seasons, perfectly filling a gap at every point. The stunning colours through autumn, the stark silhouettes of winter, the lush green leaves in spring and the beautiful blossoms of summer.
You can’t beat a game of hide and seek in a dense forest, or a tree house to create the best childhood memories. And then there’s the great job they do of converting carbon dioxide into oxygen, providing a habitat for insects and wildlife, turning sunlight into energy and of course growing and nurturing delicious fruit.
In the main, they are a fairly low maintenance and self-sufficient addition to the landscape, particularly in relation to the huge benefit they provide.
So, back in 1975, trees were handed some well-deserved recognition with the launch of National Tree Week. Established by The Tree Council, one of the UK’s leading charities for trees, the initiative saw a national replanting of trees after the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease.
And now, 43 years later, National Tree Week is the UK's largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season which runs from November to March each year.
More than just an event in the calendar, National Tree Week has already inspired more than a quarter of a million people. It’s all about encouraging communities, schools and interest groups to have a positive impact on their local treescape.
It’s a great opportunity to encourage everyone of all ages to get their hands dirty and plant some much-needed trees; we’ve been celebrating their importance for hundreds of years, but the job is far from done.
Often known as the lungs of the earth, trees play an important role in the world we live in, yet deforestation is clearing forests at a phenomenal rate. Although they still account for 30 per cent of the world’s land area, masses half the size of England disappear each year. In fact, the world’s rainforests could vanish in a hundred years if this current rate of deforestation continues.
And it’s happening on our doorsteps too. Despite the belief that a tree is never far away, most European countries have a greater abundance of wooded areas in comparison to us.
At Larkfleet Homes we plant many new trees every year in and around our new housing developments and, wherever possible, we retain existing trees. We also aim to protect the wildlife around our development sites.
National Tree Week is a great, long-established initiative to keep our trees going, and it’s so easy for you to get involved. Schools and community groups can join the Tree Council as a member organisation and get lots of ideas and inspiration for successful tree planting activities.
You can also pull a group together yourself and get your hands mucky for the benefit of your local area. Maybe there’s some vacant land, a local project or even a school that could benefit from the planting of more trees. And even better if you involve the children too; it’s a valuable pastime for helping them to understand the benefits that trees provide to us all.
And don’t forget to tell everyone about your activities too. Spread the word and encourage friends and family to join in and help your local community; there’s a free poster on the Tree Council website and then there’s the power of social media.
So, if you’re inspired and keen to get started, simply check out the Tree Council website to see if there are any events near you to join in.
