This Christmas, give all the fun of a day out with family and friends and be part of an amazing project to create the first new forest in England for 1,000 years.

The fun starts when you purchase your tree, and design your own certificate with your personal message to the recipient. Print out the certificate and you have a gift to tuck into an envelope, slip into a frame, or roll and tie with a ribbon to give on Christmas morning.    

Whether you are buying a Plant a Tree in The National Forest for the person who has everything or for a loved one who is passionate about the planet, both you and they will have an unforgettable experience. Following your purchase, you will both be invited to a special event run by the National Forest Company, to come to The National Forest and plant the tiny oak, rowan, holly or birch 'whip' (tiny tree) that you select on the day, in a specially chosen National Forest woodland. The woodland will always be open for you to visit and enjoy. You will be able to return over the years and see the woodland as it grows, becoming home to an ever-increasing range of wildlife.

Plant a Tree in The National Forest costs £25, which reflects the true cost of the tree, the land and the future care of the woodland. You can buy it online at http://www.nationalforest.org/sponsor/plantatree/ 

Find out more about Plant a Tree in The National Forest at http://www.nationalforest.org/sponsor/plantatree/ or call the National Forest Company on 01283 551211.

Ends

Media contact: 

Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, National Forest Company on 01283 551211.  For background information on The National Forest see www.nationalforest.org    Digital images are available:  contact media@nationalforest.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. 1. The National Forest area covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.  Its objective is to increase woodland cover within its boundaries from an initial six per cent to about a third. No multi-purpose forest on this scale has been created in the UK for one thousand years. To date the proportion of woodland cover in the Forest has more than trebled to 20 per cent and in 2012 HRH the Duke of Cambridge planted the eight millionth tree in the Forest. 

2. 2. Year by year, The National Forest has been steadily turning what was once one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest.  The National Forest provides environmental, social and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development – with environmental improvement providing a stimulus both to economic regeneration and to community pride and activity.

3. 3. To achieve these objectives, the National Forest Company leads the creation of The National Forest, working in partnership with landowners, local authorities, private business, voluntary organisations and local communities and has strong support from Government, politicians and the public.  The Company receives grant in aid from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

4. 4. The National Forest Company's Triennial Review by Central Government in 2013 stated: “Many [stakeholders] stressed the need for the continued role of the NFC to maintain momentum and ensure that the long term aims for The National Forest are achieved. The importance of a 'truly sustainable landscape scale project' was stressed, with the need for continued objectives across a wide agenda including economic growth, woodland culture and habitat networks.”