One of the world’s oldest forestry organisations, International Tree Foundation (ITF), is marking the celebration of its 90th Anniversary year with the launch of a new international Community Tree Planting Programme.
The programme provides grant funding for projects in the UK and Africa which plant, protect and promote trees in association with local communities.
The grants have been made possible by a new partnership with Gloucestershire based business Worktop Express®. Up to £1000 is available for each UK project that involves communities in planting, protecting and promoting trees. Priorities for the projects include using indigenous broadleaf species such as beech and alder and for the planting to be in community spaces.
On announcing the new programme of funding Andy Egan, Director of ITF said “Last year we supported community projects which planted over 1 million trees and this year we hope to plant another million as part of our 90th Anniversary”.
Alexandra Finlay, of Worktop Express welcomed the new partnership saying “a commitment to the environment has always been fundamental to our ethos, which is why we only use sustainably-sourced timber in our worktops. However, our company has now reached a sufficient size to allow us to go one step further – and we’re delighted to support an environmental project that would encourage the planting and protection of trees both internationally and also in our own home county.”
The UK grants are open to projects starting between 1st December 2014 and 1st April 2015 with the deadline for applications on Friday 17th October 2014. Full details can be found at www.internationaltreefoundation.org
