The Woodland Trust is urging schools and communities across the South West to join the fight against climate change and nature loss – and help it reach its target of planing five million free trees planted across the United Kingdom since 2020 – by taking advantage of its latest tree-pack giveaway.

Applications for the charity’s ever-popular free tree-packs scheme are open now and schools and community groups are needed to push up the numbers of trees planted by 800,000 to reach a whopping five million.

Woodland Trust senior project lead Vicki Baddeley said: ‘We’re so proud of the numbers of free trees we’ve been able to give away, knowing they’ll be planted where they can really make a difference – in school grounds and out in the community.

‘We’re in the grip of a climate and nature crisis which can’t be overcome without concerted action, so I’d urge every school or community group who can, to get involved and plant more trees!

‘Applying is easy and all saplings are fully funded for those receiving the trees in our autumn delivery in November. All you need is time and a small piece of land to plant on.’

The last round of the Trust’s free tree-packs scheme in the spring of 2023 delivered a total of 540,630 saplings to 3,272 organisations across the UK, including 54,255 trees to 320 schools and community groups in the south west of England:

In Cornwall, 10,065 trees were distributed to 62 organisations while in Devon, there were 13,500 trees given out to 81 organisations. See www.woodlandtrust.org.uk to find out more. Trees will be delivered in November.