National Tree Week is the Tree Council’s festival to mark the start of the tree planting season, and a nationwide celebration of trees and woods.
National Tree Planting Year 1973 (with its slogan of “Plant a Tree in 73”) led to the founding of The Tree Council to bring together organisations working for trees.
It ran the first National Tree Week in 1975. Now, up to a million trees are planted each year as a result of this winter festival.
This year Tree Week takes place between 22 November and 3 December 2007, and if you can’t actually get out to dig a hole in the ground, here are a few ways you can contribute:
Save the rainforest
The World Land Trust is a conservation charity that has helped purchase and protect over 300,000 acres of rainforest and other threatened wildlife habitats worldwide. You can help them save even more. £50 saves an acre of rainforest. £25 helps protect half an acre of rainforest with the original ‘Save an Acre’ conservation charity.
Click here to visit their website
Give Saplings through Christian Aid
In Honduras new trees are vital. They act as wind breaks, hold soil together in tropical storms and prevent mudslides. Through one of Christian Aid’s local partners Coprodedpiy, Christian Aid is helping nursery workers reforest whole areas. Planting many more saplings on the slopes helps prevent storms from washing away people’s homes and livelihoods. A gift like this could help save more than the environment! A perfect present for tree-lovers…
Click here to visit their website
Give fruit trees through World Vision
Get more than your five-a-day by choosing 10 fruit trees. Families in Mbella, Senegal will plant them and will be given training in how to care for their trees. The fruit will then be sold to earn an income, and will also help parents feed their children a healthy diet.
Click here to visit their website
Help manage a forest through Oxfam
With Oxfam you can give the gift of forest management. This manage a forest gift will help a community to plant new trees, maintain old ones, and train people in responsible forestry skills. From little acorns…