Leaders of major environmental organisations back campaign to plant thousands of trees across UK

The Daily Mail’s Be A Tree Angel campaign received the backing of some of Britain’s leading environmental organisations last night.

The Royal Horticultural Society and the Woodland Trust both lent their support to our green drive, which is being organised with the Tree Council.

The aim is to plant thousands more trees in gardens and communities to help make Britain a better, greener country. 

All the main political parties have made tree planting an election issue – promising millions more trees. 

And so far Mail readers have pledged to plant – or have already planted – 24,504 saplings since the campaign began on November 23.

Sue Biggs, the Royal Horticultural Society’s director general, described the campaign as ‘exciting’ and made an urgent plea for more tree planting, particularly in back gardens.

She said: ‘The UK’s 24 million domestic gardens are thought to cover more than a quarter of our towns and cities.

‘What we grow in these spaces and how we manage them can therefore have a huge impact.

‘Trees help cool our cities. They do this by giving us shade and, by allowing water to evaporate from their leaves, reducing the temperature. As well as helping us to combat rising heat, they play a part in mitigating flood issues.

‘Tree canopies can slow the rate that water reaches the ground and enters the drainage system.

‘Trees provide food and habitat for our wildlife, they help improve air quality and there is even evidence that they are good for our mental health and wellbeing.’ 

Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, has also backed the effort to plant thousands more trees in gardens and communities to help make Britain a better, greener country

Miss Biggs added: ‘The Daily Mail’s exciting campaign to support tree planting in the UK is hugely welcomed and we urge everyone to simply love a tree for being a tree!’

Darren Moorcroft, chief executive of the Woodland Trust, said: ‘At no other time during my 20-plus years in conservation has the environment been so prominent.

‘It is great to see the Daily Mail once again champion the importance of trees, as they did with the Woodland Trust on its Jubilee Woods project. We are on the cusp of climate breakdown.

‘If we want to be ancestors that are looked back upon fondly, there can be no more delay.

‘We must act now. We have a key solution: trees. The need for an estimated 1.5 billion new trees in pursuit of being net zero carbon by 2050 has focused minds and created a surge in interest to plant trees

Daily Mail Campaign: Be A Tree Angel

‘Native trees are especially important as they have a dual benefit; they help tackle climate change and nature loss at the same time, by creating habitats for our wonderful native wildlife.’

Mr Moorcroft added: ‘Protecting woods and trees is of equal importance in ultimately recovering nature and fighting back against climate change.

‘But our woods are under threat like never before, pressures from development and from pests and disease are most present, and need to be tackled.

‘The challenge we face is huge. It won’t be easy, but it’s a cost worth paying. There is hope, every tree counts.’