What do you get if cross a fuel company with a bunch of conservationists?

September 16, 2009

The Trust has been planting trees in the Dales (and further afield) since we first started out in 1997. We’ve planted a lot of trees. Over 800,000. Admittedly Friday’s was my first! Along with our partners we’ve created over 100 new natural mixed woodlands in the Yorkshire Dales and Nidderdale area. Natural woodland means broadleaf woodland – including species like ash, oak, rowen, hazel, birch, bird cherry, alder, holly, and hawthorn. It’s vital that we keep planting. Woodland in this area amounts to only 3.5% of the land area, and a tiny 1.5% of woodland in this area is natural broadleaf woodland. The national average is 9%!

My first tree!

Where does Bayford fit in? Every so often our work sparks interest from someone who would like to do something to help. Bayford are a Yorkshire company trying to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to their local environment. What better way than to plant trees on your own doorstep!  

So last year Bayford Director, Rob Staines, started asking customers if they would like to take part in a ‘plant a tree’ scheme, in a bid to offset their carbon emissions. Rob then approached us to see if we could help them to plant the trees. As a result Bayford has donated £5,200 to Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust Woodland Programme, which will help us to plant around 800 trees in the area.   

Rob Staines Director of Bayford (Right) presents giant cheque to our Director David Sharrod.

This support is invaluable. To put it into context – its takes approximately 1,100 trees to cover 1 hectare of land. The Dales Woodland Forum target is to increase semi natural and mixed woodland cover to over 5000 ha by 2020. We’ve already achieved 600 hectares, but there is a long way to go! 

Meeting people Rob and his team, who are so committed to helping, really spurs us on. It’s also great to spend a sunny morning in the countryside planting trees! I’m looking forward to working with Bayford in years to come, hopefully as their tree planting scheme goes from strength to strength. I’m also hoping their actions will be an inspiration to other companies to get involved too.      

There are lots of ways you can support our woodland restoration programme, as an individual or a company. Please email me and I’ll be happy to explain.  Email: lindsay.tonge@ydmt.org

Trying to find earth!