The Woodland Trust’s Big Climate Fightback saw scores of people across the UK don their wellies and pick up their shovels to plant trees on a mass day of climate change action.
Children from as young as four to adults of age 94 planted saplings in parks, fields and gardens across the nation.
More than 10,000 trees were planted at the site of the new Young People’s Forest in Mead, Derbyshire.
The Woodland Trust held mass plantings on their land, alongside communities organising their own plantings and individuals planting trees in their gardens.
The public joined the Woodland Trust to plant thousands of trees at Low Burnhall in County Durham, Smithills, Bolton, Avoncliff, near Bath in Wiltshire, Tring Park in Hertfordshire, Kinclaven in Scotland, Carmoney Hill in Northern Ireland.
Famous faces join the fightback
Bella Ramsey of Game of Thrones was Among those taking part in the tree-planting action. She planted at the Trust’s Mead site near Heanor, Derbyshire where the UK’s first Young People’s Forest is being created.
Bella said: “It’s incredible to see that so many trees are being planted here. It’s a nice idea because trees take so long to grow that it means we have the opportunity to grow with them, which I think is lovely.”
Danny Clarke AKA television’s The Black Gardener also got stuck in with a spade. He said: “I have a huge personal connection with trees that goes right back to my childhood.
“I loved climbing trees and over the years have developed a deep bond, a friendship even becoming a tree hugger. They give us life and deserve our compassion and respect,” he added
“As an adult I am drawn to woodlands areas and enjoy walking amongst the trees, feeling the life around me. I sometimes even take a trip down memory lane and climb one!”
“The declination of forests across the globe is a huge contributing factor to global warming
“We need to rebuild our forests, give our planet the ability to breath. This is becoming critical and that is why I am supporting the Woodland Trusts fabulous campaign: The Big Climate Fightback to plant millions of new trees.
“I have grandchildren, this is our investment for their future,” Danny added
‘An appetite for action’
The Woodland Trust’s Chief Executive Darren Moorcroft — who also attended the mass planting at the Trust’s Mead site — said it was a fantastic and inspiring day, to see so many people of all ages coming together to plant trees.
“It just shows what can be achieved when it comes to increasing tree cover in the UK,” he added. “More and more people are waking up to the value that trees could bring in helping to fight climate change.”
“The Big Climate Fightback has shown the huge appetite people have to take action and with people power behind us who knows what could be achieved in the future.”
Derby’s Youth Mayor, 17-year-old Abdul Siddiqi, also took part.
He said: “Climate change is so much more than just the trees and air pollution: there are entire ecosystems and species, there is a whole world of different life affected by it and this is what ignited a passion within me to join the climate fightback and really get involved.”
He added: “I want young people to have a wake-up call. Not only inspire them, but help them realise that it is our duty as the growing generation to take care of our home, our planet. Being environmentally aware should be as easy as one, two, three.”
Woodland Trust’s aim
The Woodland Trust launched the Big Climate Fightback in September.
The charity’s aim was to give people a simple way to make a difference on climate change – by pledging to plant trees.
The campaign gathered more than 250,000 pledges to plant and it is estimated that up to a million trees went into the ground.
Learn more about the Woodland Trust and their Climate Fightback here.
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