2018 promises to be a busy one and with the launch of the Tree Care Campaign little more than a month away, the Tree Council thought it would be useful to their community action campaigns of 2018.
The campaign theme for the 2017-18 tree year is centred around the value of trees, calling on everyone everywhere to celebrate trees, plant more and appreciate them all.
The Tree Council explained: “Across the UK, the presence of trees in cities, towns and rural landscapes continues to add value to lives every day, in many different ways. The value that trees provide can sometimes be taken for granted: they not only create a habitat for all sorts of wildlife, but provide services to humans too. We get food, fuel and building resources from them; they help prevent flooding, clean our polluted air and water supplies and conserve energy. Trees are good for business, too. It’s been proven that trees increase property values as well as footfall in shopping or business areas, all of which helps to boost the local economy. Whatever the reason, trees are a valuable asset and deserve to be celebrated.”
The theme for the 2018-19 tree year, starting with Seed Gathering Season 2018, will be announced in June this year.
Tree Care Campaign
Saturday 21st March – Friday 21st September 2018
The annual campaign highlights the need for better care for all trees, in order to ensure their survival and increase the numbers reaching maturity. In particular, anyone who has planted trees in the past 5 years is reminded to involve their local community and revisit them to carry out a few simple tree care tasks that can save young trees from dying and allow them to develop into the mature trees. This helps enhance our urban and rural landscape, provide shade and local climate change, and supports biodiversity.
Walk in the Woods
Tuesday 1st May – Thursday 31st May 2018
In May every year, community groups, environmental organisations, local authorities and volunteer Tree Wardens organise Walks in the Woods – events as diverse as bluebell trails and healthy walking routes, bat and badger watches, treasure hunts, tree trails and woodland open days. It is also an annual reminder that more trees and woodlands need to be planted now if there are to be any for future generations to enjoy.
Seed Gathering Season
Friday 23rd September to Sunday 23rd October 2018
Through this autumn festival The Tree Council aims to inspire everyone, particularly school children and families, to gather seeds, fruits and nuts and grow the trees of the future. Growing trees from local seed can have great benefits in restocking areas with trees of local provenance. The concept of local provenance suggests that trees that are adapted to the local circumstances and so are likely to flourish and help restore, conserve and beautify local urban and rural spaces.
National Tree Week
Saturday 25th November to Sunday 3rd December 2018
First mounted in 1975, National Tree Week is the UK’s largest tree celebration annually launching the start of the winter tree planting season. It is also a great chance for communities to do something positive for their local treescape. Each year, The Tree Council’s member organisations such as voluntary bodies and local authorities, up to 200 schools and community groups, 8,000 Tree Wardens and many others, support the initiative by setting up fun, worthwhile and accessible events, inspiring upward of a quarter of a million people to get their hands dirty and together plant around a million trees.
