The NFU is working with the Woodland Trust on the project that saw 12,500 trees collected and planted on farms across five counties in the Midlands.
The free tree packs, funded by Lloyds Bank, were given away to full NFU farmer and grower members in Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and Staffordshire throughout January.
The species were selected by the Woodland Trust to suit the individual county’s farmland with 50 packs of 50 trees available in each county.
Helping diversity
Georgie Hyde, NFU Midlands land use and environment adviser, said: “Trees have an important role in improving habitat, reducing emissions, contributing to flood prevention and assisting with water quality improvement.
“Planting of a variety of native trees, which are all sourced and grown in the UK, will help diversify our tree population, increasing resilience to pests and diseases in the future.
“Species identified include two oak varieties, hornbeam, silver birch, wild cherry, hazel, crab apple, field maple, hawthorn, small-leaved lime, wild cherry and rowan.
“Alongside food production, farmers across the region are heavily invested in the farmed environment and continuing to improve biodiversity on farm.”
Georgie Hyde
“Experts were on hand to discuss on-farm planting with those picking them up.”
She said that planting trees in the right places would help to lock up even more carbon on farmland delivering on NFU ambitions around sustainability and climate.
County drop-off points
Members of the NFU team joined Woodland Trust staff for the first giveaway session at Newark Showground during the Farm Safety Event on 21 January.
Further trees were handed out during five sessions at Lower Drayton Farm, in Staffordshire, Glebe Farm in Lincolnshire; Woodside Farm in Worcestershire and Buckatree Farm Cottage in Shropshire.
The popular scheme was fully subscribed.
Helping hit targets
Government has targets to increase tree canopy and woodland cover in England by 0.33% of land area by December 2030 from the 2022 baseline of 14.9%.
This is the equivalent to a net increase of 43,000 hectares and farmers and landowners are playing a crucial role in helping to deliver these ambitions manging existing trees on farm and planting trees.
These actions can help to deliver benefits to the environment which work alongside food production and create a more resilient farming sector.