National Tree Week, the UK’s biggest celebration of trees, is fast approaching and The Tree Council wants as many people as possible to connect with, learn more about, benefit from, and maybe even help plant, these magnificent mainstays of our landscapes.
Traditionally marking the start of the winter tree planting season, National Tree Week (NTW) 2024 takes place from November 23 to December 1.
Now just shy of its 50th year, it brings urgent focus to the need to establish trees across a country that can currently only claim around 13% canopy cover – against a European average of 46%.
A one stop shop: To help connect people and trees, The Tree Council’s official NTW webpage – www.nationaltreeweek.org.uk – is seeking to become the one stop shop for all planting opportunities, events, talks, tours and more, taking place throughout the UK during NTW. We’ve developed an easy to use interactive map to help people search their local area.
Tree planting: To find tree planting opportunities, tree related events, talks, tours or more taking place nearby, simply visit the page and search the map!
Tree Party: For those unable to take part in tree planting, we have developed a suite of Tree Party materials to help people notice and celebrate the trees in their lives.
Libraries: This year, we are disseminating printed Tree Party resources (on sustainable paper with vegetable based inks!) to libraries all across England, Scotland and Wales to create lovely tree themed displays in these important and well-visited community hubs. Tree Party packs contain activity booklets, posters, colouring in sheets and even special NTW bookmarks and tree themed reading lists.
Free online talks: And, of course, The Tree Council is running lively and informative free, online talks!
On Wednesday November 27, natural navigator, Tristan Gooley joins The Tree Council’s Director of Trees, Science & Research, Jon Stokes for an in-conversation event based on Tristan’s latest book, Reading Trees.
Continuing the theme, Thursday’s event is Writing Trees, with Wyl Menmuir and Amy-Jane Beer. The two authors will share their passion for trees and how they inspire and interact with their artistic craft, in conversation with The Tree Council CEO, Sara Lom.
The final event, on Friday November 29, will consider Heritage Trees and reveal insights into work The Tree Council has been engaged in with Woodland Trust and other partners, to visit and assess the condition of all the trees featured in Jon Stokes’ Heritage Trees of Britain and Northern Ireland, 20 years on from publication.
Outdoor advertising campaign: The Tree Council is also delighted to be working with our friends at Network Rail and JC Decaux Community Channel to deliver a national outdoor advertising campaign featured at railway stations throughout the UK, from Edinburgh to Liverpool and London mainline stations, in support of National Tree Week and the stars of the show, our wonderful trees.
National Tree Week 2024 runs from November 23 to December 1. To find out more, please visit www.nationaltreeweek.org.uk
