Free trees for churches

If you want to help Wales reach its net zero carbon targets, you could branch out and plant some trees. From a hedge to a working wood, Llinos Humphreys, from Coed Cadw – the Woodland Trust in Wales - describes what’s on offer for churches in a free tree scheme.

Coed Cadw wants to see trees and green spaces close to everyone, and to that end, wants to give everybody in Wales the chance to plant a tree. That’s why it gives away thousands of trees every year to schools, colleges, universities, community groups and churches through its Free Trees For Schools and Communities scheme.

The UK needs millions more trees to reach its carbon net-zero target by 2050. And as churches often have plenty of publicly accessible land, they are the perfect place to start. The good news is, it couldn’t be easier to get involved.

Coed Cadw’s Free Trees for Schools and Communities scheme offers Free Trees packs in a variety of sizes from 15 to 420 trees; these include mixed species packs with different options to suit your specific site needs. For instance, you could pick an ‘urban’ tree pack, designed for residential areas with limited communal space; a ‘wildlife’ pack, to help provide food and shelter for wildlife and create a living legacy for future generations; or a ‘hedge’ pack to create a natural screen, or connect with existing woodland to help wildlife stay on the move. Other options include a ‘wild harvest’ pack, to provide an array of fruits and nuts for making your own jams, jellies, or wines; and even a ‘working wood’ pack which could provide fuel for a log burner in 7-10 years.

Under the scheme, there are two deliveries each year, one in March and one in November - meaning that if you are among the first to apply for free trees this month (September), you could receive your delivery of trees as early as March 2022. You can also visit the main Woodland Trust website for some handy tools to help you plan your planting project; start by planting virtual trees on your churches’ land so you can envisage how it will all look when the real-life planting is done.

If you’re not yet ready to plant at this scale, The Woodland Trust’s web shop sells single trees and small packs, many of which are subsidised. Meanwhile, the MOREwoods scheme offers specific advice and support for landowners and farmers wishing to plant trees on at least half a hectare.

In Wales, Coed Cadw is also able to provide support for people applying for Welsh Government planting grants, should your church or anyone in your local community be interested in applying for this support.

If you’re ready to help get more trees into the ground - and help Wales reach net zero by 2050 - get your application in today.

• More information at Free Trees for Schools and Communities - Woodland Trust