Possible volunteers complete another 2km of hedgerow in the Surrey Hills

Possible volunteers are yet to be beaten by even the most ambitious tree planting plans, with February being the latest and most prominent example yet -planting just shy of 10,000 native trees across farmland in Dorking, Surrey. 

As a member of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, farmer Paula Matthews was keen to boost biodiversity across her farm and increase its potential for carbon sequestration. With help from the Woodland Trust, she got hold of the saplings - a mix of native trees, from field maple and crabapple to dogwood and hazel, to ensure maximum benefits to a wide range of UK wildlife. Now she just needed to get them in the ground - and that's where we came in. 

When Paula asked for our help, we were ready -  Possible staff and volunteers spent two weekends at Manor Farm to get the job done.

Across the two planting weekends we had an outstanding turnout of over 150 energetic and determined volunteers whose work ethic and enthusiasm remained consistent through wind, rain or shine!

It was amazing to see so many people from different parts of the country take time out of their lives to come together and take collective action to tackle the climate crisis. The infectious determination of some of the volunteers transferred to the whole group, leading to an outstanding 600 metres of hedge being planted in just one day. By the end of the month, through incredible effort over four days, Possible volunteers had planted just shy of 10,000 trees, creating almost 2km of new hedgerow in the Surrey Hills.

By spreading the word, we can inspire more people to turn climate fear into practical action in their communities. Some volunteers were interviewed for a piece on BBC South and a Farmers Weekly podcast. And those who were captured on camera, will be featured in a new climate documentary to be released later this year called “Climate: What now?”. Please check them out and see how much impact you can have by just being a part of one tree planting event. 

At Manor Farm, Surrey, we’ve seen how the work of all our volunteers can take one farmer's dream and turn it into a reality - benefiting not only the farm, but the local community, wildlife and the planet as well.

If you’re interested in planting trees with Possible, sign-up to our mailing list to keep updated on all our upcoming events. Finally, if you feel inspired to get planting-aspirations moving in your neighbourhood, check out our step-by-step guide to help you on your way.