“Government funds were donated to plant more-than a quarter of a million trees at the end of November, marking a new annual event that aims to bring more trees to urbanised parts of England”
At the end of November, something very important happened for the first time: the UK celebrated National Tree Week. The event, which began on November 27th, and will reoccur every year, is part of Britain’s ambitious net-zero plan. This year, it aimed to plant over a quarter of a million trees in England – and it was all down to government money.
The government contributed £12 million across four funds supporting tree planting efforts for future generations. And importantly, the initiative was focused on planting trees outside of woodlands. In a press release, the government wrote:
“Urban forests make our towns and cities safer, healthier and more pleasant places to be, helping boost peoples wellbeing as well as contributing towards efforts to tackle climate change. 46 projects in England planting almost 25,000 trees will be supported through the third round of the Urban Tree Challenge Fund, building upon the 134,000 trees already planted through this fund in deprived urban areas.”
At Quercus, we believe this is a fantastic initiative and support it wholeheartedly. After all, if the government had been reading our blog a couple of years ago, it would have already known that wood is good for personal wellbeing and the health of the planet – two subjects that have been thrown into the public eye over the last year and a half.
Forestry Minister, Lord Goldsmith, said: “This targeted package of funding will help us to build back greener and regenerate natural spaces across the country for the benefit of all. Trees are at the heart of our ambitious environmental programme, as we work to deliver on the promises we made at COP26 and treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament.
“But at the local level, trees and woodlands are the lifeblood of communities, essential to supporting wellbeing, reducing pollution and improving people’s quality of life.”
You don’t have to run a country to make a difference to the environment. Encouraging your customers to use timber, which is a natural carbon capture and storage device, in place of less-environmentally friendly materials, can help to create a greener future.
At Quercus, we are always willing to discuss the different types of timber available with our customers, helping them decide on one that’s perfect for the job in hand. To speak to our experienced team of experts, just call us on 01295 713 167.