What we’re up to this National Tree Planting Week
Every year, hundreds of organisations, volunteer groups and tree lovers across the UK, get together to plant trees in celebration of National Tree Planting week (24th November - 4th December 2022).
Tree planting at the Blue Cross
Our UK team kickstarted this National Tree Planting Week with an exciting tree planting session alongside one of our community partners at the Blue Cross animal rehoming centre in Burford, West Oxfordshire.
This is the second year of ITF supporting this large-scale community tree planting project. And we’re happy to report that, by the end of this year they will have planted almost 8,000 native trees and hedging, providing protection for the Blue Cross’ horses and creating vital habitat and corridors for nature.
Can biochar boost the growth of young trees?
This year we are delighted to be partnering with a local business CapChar in a trial to assess the effectiveness of adding a biochar boost on the growth of young trees.
Biochar is a special type of charcoal known to help growth of trees and works best when it’s in an around the root zone.
Together with CapChar, we are carrying out planting exercise trials in which biochar boost is added into planting holes to help new tree rootstock to thrive and avoid disease. We’re also using a woodchip plus biochar mulch to support water and nutrient retention over the key establishment period. Watch this space!
Benefits of biochar
Contains a high amount of stable carbon which adsorbs nutrients, acting as a reservoir for plant nutrients.
It is porous and holds both air and water.
Aids irrigation and airflow to the roots because its granules do not compress,
Acts as a ‘home’ for beneficial microbes and fungi - these form symbiotic relationships with root hairs and increase the uptake of nutrients dramatically.
Lasts hundreds of years as it does not decompose
“With our weather patterns changing so rapidly, we need to be thinking about planting early in the season (ideally before Christmas) and mulching the trees,” remarks Lucy Staveley, ITF’s UK Programme Development Officer. With the hot dry summer, we’ve just had, those trees that were properly mulched fared much better. We really hope that adding a Biochar amendment to the mix, will be an additional boost the survival of the trees.”
Planting trees that last
ITF places great importance on the quality of planting in our community projects and there is more to this than you might first think!
Quality includes the whole process which starts with buying strong trees, ideally from local nurseries. You then need to make sure the trees are handled properly and not let their roots dry out or sit in a bucket of water. Planting should involve proper digging giving the roots lots of space, followed by mulching and watering if the soil is dry. There needs to be careful thought for the longer-term maintenance of the trees, including formative pruning and the removal of plastic tree guards after 3-5 years.
The importance of aftercare
Lucy adds that, “So many planting projects fail to factor in the aftercare of the trees. One of the key benefits of the model of community planting that Iies at the core of ITF’s tree planting work is that communities feel invested in the trees and will go back year on year to look after them. The Blue Cross volunteers spent many an early morning and late evening this summer watering and mulching the trees – it’s now a delight to see that so many made it through the drought.”
This National Planting Week do get involved with your community in planting some trees. There are lots of planting opportunities all over the UK. Equally importantly, make sure you go back in 6 months time to check on them!
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Support communities across the UK to plant native trees that restore and protect woodlands