National Tree Week 2020 commences

National Tree Week 2020 commences

Written by Defra Press Office

National Tree Week has kicked off this year with positive coverage in the Daily Mail encouraging readers to plant a tree. Now it its 45th year, the event kicks off winter tree-planting season, the best time to plant young trees.

The paper notes that around 250,000 people take part in National Tree Week every year, and carries comments from Lord Goldsmith and Forestry Commission Chair Sir William Worsley commenting that they hope this year’s event will be “bigger than ever”.

Also marking the start of the National Tree Week, environmental charity Cool Earth is encouraging people across the UK to plant a tree to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as part of the ‘Queen’s Green Canopy’ initiative. This has received positive coverage including the Daily Mail, ITV, Sunday Express, and Yorkshire Post.

Supporting the initiative, Chairman of the Forestry Commission, Sir William Worsley, said:

The value of trees has never been clearer and at a time where we must do everything we can to not only tackle climate change, but also adapt to its impacts. I would urge everyone to pick up a spade and plant a tree for the jubilee.

As the government’s expert forestry advisors and proud carers of the nation’s forests for over 100 years – we are hugely excited to support the Queen’s Green Canopy.

The Government recently consulted on a new England Tree Strategy to accelerate tree planting and improve the management of our existing trees and woodlands.

The £640m Nature for Climate fund will help us deliver the English portion of Government’s manifesto tree planting commitment, alongside peatland restoration and nature recovery. The Prime Minister also recently announced a further £40 million additional investment into the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund – this will go towards creating and retaining thousands of jobs in the environmental sector.

Follow Defra’s twitter account this week for more updates on National Tree Week.

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