Buy Plant a Tree and give the fun of a day out together, planting a young tree in a new woodland in Leicestershire. The woodland will always be open for you to visit, so you can return to see the woodland as it grows, becoming a glorious habitat for birds and other wildlife, and a lovely place for you to walk and enjoy the outdoors.

Plant a Tree is available online, with a choice of certificate for you to design and print out, adding your own personalised message to your loved one. You will then receive an invitation to attend a special tree planting day in the Forest, when you select, and then plant, your 'whip' (very young tree) from a choice of native species: for example, oak, silver birch, wild cherry or rowan. All these trees make their own vital contribution to the beauty of the woodland and the diverse wildlife that will make the woodland its home.

Plant a Tree 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 The National Forest at www.nationalforest.org or call 01283 551211.

Ends

Media contact:  Carol Rowntree Jones, Media Relations Officer, National Forest Company on 01283 551211 email: crowntreejones@nationalforest.org

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.”

5. 5. In 2008, the National Forest Company and partners won the inaugural Sustainable Development UK Award, for their work in Ashby Woulds, at the heart of The National Forest.