Local residents plant 6280 trees
Over the past season, we have worked in partnership with Nature-Friendly Farming Network to plant 6280 trees on Glyn Canol Farm in Welshpool and Fairoaks Farm, in Suffolk.
Over the course of a weekend in November and one in January, farmers, local residents, and Possible supporters came together to plant 3780 trees across 630m of Fairoaks Farm in Suffolk, and in January local volunteers planted 2500 trees on Glyn Canol Farm in Welshpool across 500m.
We’ve been working with local communities to deliver local tree-planting events since 2018 and the positive impact of these events is not just toward the environment but also on people’s well-being. This is part of efforts to regenerate hedgerows across the country which will draw down CO2 from the atmosphere while providing valuable refuges for native wildlife in Welshpool and Stowmarket.
Why plant hedgerows?
“I think tree-planting sessions like this are really important because, obviously years ago, ma”ny hedgerows were taken out to develop more farmland and then, of course, no one really thought about the habitat that exists within the hedgerows. So now, we’re putting it back, and that’s really satisfying. It puts a smile on my face to know that I’m a part of that - that’s really amazing, it warms my soul.” - A volunteer planter
Hedgerows have existed since Bronze Age farming but after 1945 many policies were put in place to encourage their removal in the hopes of increased food security. Only very recently have the negative impacts of their degradation been fully understood and now initiatives all around the country are looking at how we can regenerate them in order to reduce carbon emissions and protect native wildlife.
By working with the Nature-Friendly Farming Network, we are also working to actively engage the agricultural sector in reducing its carbon emissions. A vital part of the UK’s economy and rural life, the sector has struggled to reduce its contribution to UK carbon emissions - flatlining at contributing around 10% to the national total for the last decade. Tree-planting activities like these, as well as other measures, will be essential in allowing the sector to successfully achieve the UK’s legally binding net-zero 2050 target and NFU’s ambition for UK agriculture to be net-zero carbon by 2040
Other benefits of tree planting
As well as the benefits of lowering the sector’s carbon emissions and increasing wildflie, these events give the public real opportunities to take action on climate and wildlife - something that can feel monumentally difficult at times - while providing practical utility to farmers, increasing carbon drawdown and wildlife habitats.
The events also create opportunities for the public to access the countryside, nature and green space as well as enable conversations between the wider public and farmers about their work and their responses to the climate and nature crises.
Volunteers from the weekend enjoyed the event so much that they have offered to return to the farm to continue planting over the next few weekends.
A volunteer from the event said: “Getting involved was a part of my New Year’s resolution - to be a bit more positive about the environment and get a bit more hands on and do more. We saw this advertised on social media, and thought it was a great idea so we registered. It’s so good to finally be doing something”
“Tree-planting is always an enjoyable and rewarding experience for Possible and all of our volunteers. This has been a particularly successful session and local residents as well as volunteers all had a blast. Hedgerow regeneration will undoubtedly be a valuable tool as the UK looks to reduce its carbon emissions and restore its native wildlife. By working with the Nature Friendly Farming Network we hope we can help those in the agricultural sector who want to make a change and connect communities from all walks of life to the benefit of both the climate and nature.”