National tree week 2024: letting nature thrive

We should all take time to reflect on and celebrate the wonder of nature. National Tree Week (23 November to 1 December  2024) offers an ideal opportunity to join the conservation sector and volunteers across the nation to mark the start of the annual planting season.

National Tree Planting Week is spearheaded by The Tree Council and partners and has become a key highlight of the sustainability calendar. Born out of the nationwide response to the dramatic loss of trees from Dutch Elm Disease in 1973, the event marshals efforts to tackle biodiversity loss.

National Tree Week 2024

Only 13% of the UK’s total land area is covered in trees compared to an average of 46% in Europe. According to the latest State of Nature Report, nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) are now threatened with extinction and we live in one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. 

 

It is critical that we reverse the decline and take actions that regenerate rather than harm the natural environment. Planting more trees is key to that effort. The Woodland Trust estimates that the UK must plant 1.5 million hectares of additional woodland by 2050 to meet our Net Zero target. As well as supporting decarbonisation by removing carbon from the atmosphere, trees improve air quality, prevent soil erosion, offer protection from extreme weather events and provide a haven for wildlife.

 

Tree facts

 

  • A single mature oak tree can support more than 2,300 different species of invertebrates, birds, mammals and fungi.
  • The largest living tree on earth is a giant sequoia in the US, named General Sherman. It stands 83m tall and nearly as high as Big Ben. 
  • There are an estimated 3 trillion trees in the world – that’s more than the number of stars in the galaxy.
  • Trees can help cities adapt to global warming by providing shade and cooling the surface temperature by up to 12°C in some regions.
  • Trees help us feel better. Studies have found that exposure to urban forests generally reduces mental and physical stress, anxiety, and depression, and that they improve moods/

The Tree Council is calling on as many people as possible to take part in National tree Week. That could involve a range of activities including planting, helping raise awareness about the importance of protecting nature or delivering initiatives that replenish our precious ecosystems. 

 

At Wylde Connections we work with businesses large and small on embedding sustainable practice throughout their organisation. Taking a nature positive approach is key to that transition and our eBook The Business of Biodiversity, provides a guide to putting nature at the heart of your sustainability strategy. 

 

National Tree Planting Week offers an ideal opportunity to engage your stakeholders and promote nature-positive interventions. Why not use an underutilised area on your site to create a haven for nature, allow staff to volunteer on conservation projects or form partnerships with charities like The Woodland Trust.  

 

The Tree Council has created a wide range of resources to help you promote the importance of trees and play your part in combating the biodiversity crisis. Learn more about what is happening in your area, add your event to their calendar download assets including social media posts and information packs. 

 

Talk to Wylde about how we can support you in treating nature as a valued stakeholder. Be it developing a robust sustainability strategy that helps replenish biodiversity or running training programmes that equip your people with the knowledge and skills they need to deliver positive environmental impacts, we are on hand as your trusted sustainability partner. Book a Discovery Call today.

 

To learn more about National Tree Week visit National Tree Week – join the UK’s largest tree celebration