Powys-based community business 9Trees is calling on Christmas shoppers in Wales and beyond to support an ambitious tree-planting campaign – by giving a unique gift that will benefit people and planet for decades to come.
9Trees, a nonprofit that creates carbon sinks through professionally managed broadleaf woodlands around the UK, is on a mission to plant 10,000 trees during 2022 – and 100,000 trees in the coming years.
Individuals and businesses can support this effort by gifting just one tree, or take out an annual subscription to cover the cost of planting and managing nine new trees each year – the number needed to balance the carbon footprint of the average UK resident.
Each tree is geolocated, keeping subscribers up to date with their own tree’s progress until maturity.
This Christmas, supporters can make even more impact with their purchase: for every tree bought before 31 December, 9Trees will plant another in the Coast Province, Kenya, in partnership with Carbon Link.
To date, 9Trees has planted 5,500 broadleaf trees in Radnorshire, Wales. Planting is done in partnership with landowners, who hand over their land to 9Trees to manage for 50 years.
Landowner Geoff Heald, who has handed over ½ an acre of land for planting, says: “Participating with the 9Trees project – I think you can only regard it as a privilege. It’s essential – we’ve got to do projects like this. It’s for our children and it’s for subsequent future generations.”
Tree-planting is particularly important in the UK, where woodland cover has dropped from 60% woodland to just 13%.
Ash Kent, 9Trees co-founder, says: “It’s not just about planting trees to sequester carbon. We are also creating woodlands that support wildlife and connect up existing habitats – without destroying valuable, species-rich grasslands or peat bogs.”
Carefully managed woodland over the coming decades will nurture biodiversity, with a wild assortment of creatures nesting, and resting among native trees.
“A vole’s squeak, a wood warbler’s song, species evocative of our valleys will echo on. One day, pine martens – rarely seen today – may call this woodland home,” says Kent.
Michael Cunningham, 9Trees founder, says: “Supporting 9Trees is your chance to have a positive impact today and long into the future. In 25 years, the trees we plant now will be sequestering roughly 40lbs of carbon per annum. In 50-100 years’ time, each tree should have captured one tonne of carbon.”
He added: “This needs to be a large-scale effort – but the good news is everyone can get involved. It’s about coming together as a community to mitigate against climate change and to invest in a better future.”
The Christmas offer costs £17 and covers the cost of planting one tree in the UK, plus one in Kenya. Purchasers receive a gift card via email and details of their geolocated tree. More info: https://www.9trees.org/shop/give-the-gift-of-trees-at-christmas