The Amazon rainforest is often referred to as the lungs of our planet because of the amount of oxygen it produces, supporting all life around it and playing a vital role in the survival of life on Earth.
Although we know this, we somehow still see that rainforests and green spaces (including ancient trees all over the world) are cut down, without us having any say in the matter.
Whilst this needs to stop and stop soon, this leaves us with a lot of work to do in order to restore what we have already lost.
Planting new trees (and protecting existing ones) is one of the most positive and important things we can do to combat these negative actions, in a peaceful and uplifting way.
Just planting a tree can bring a richness to your life that money can’t buy, but how can you get involved and help do your bit to plant some trees yourself?
In this post, I will explore 4 options, giving more details on how you can do your bit for the planet by planting trees.
I’ll leave you with the knowledge to choose the best option for your needs, based on how much time you have to spare.
1. VOLUNTEERING – PLANT TREES LOCALLY
There is nothing quite like getting out there and getting your hands dirty. Planting trees and being part of a community are both great things for mental health!
Volunteer days combine these two activities and are a great way to find yourself around other like-minded people on the same mission as you, to help plant trees and do our bit for the planet as a cohesive group.
Volunteer days can be great fun whether on your own, with friends, or with family.
One such nonprofit organising these days, helping individuals like you to get involved in tree planting is Trees for Cities. This organisation helps people get involved in urban tree planting and is a great charity to volunteer for.
“Each year London’s trees remove 2.4 million tonnes of air pollution, including carbon dioxide, dust and other gaseous toxins”
– Trees for Cities
You can register your interest to volunteer via their website:
https://www.treesforcities.org/get-involved/volunteer
If you do not live close to London or any included UK city, you could also try emailing your local Wildlife Trust or Woodland Trust and ask about their volunteer programs and more specifically, if they have any native tree planting days coming up.
The National Forest also offers the chance to join them for their tree planting days, where you can help plant the trees you donate.
2. DONATE TO TREE PLANTING EFFORTS
If you can’t get involved yourself for any reason, then you can always help out to plant more trees simply by donating to a tree-planting charity, who will do the planting work for you after you make your donation.
Tree planting charities you can donate to include:
- One Tree Planted make it easy to plant trees across the world in areas where they are most urgently needed – $1 (around 79p) plants one tree.
- The Woodland Trust aim to plant 50 million native tree species in the UK in 5 years as part of their ‘Big Climate Fightback’.
- Trees for Cities work at a UK national and international level to get trees planted in cities to improve lives, help the local environments and create more green spaces.
- The National Forest are a regenerative charity, looking to restore large areas of damaged land in the Midlands by planting a large-scale forest. They are currently only 35,000 trees away from planting 9 million in total.
- World Land Trust are a conservation charity who use their funds to protect forests and vital wildlife habitats across the world by buying land by the acre. They also work on expanding and restoring forests in the required areas by planting trees.
- Tree Sisters are empowering groups of women around the world to positively change the world through planting trees. From growing forest corridors in Brazil to restoring Gorilla habitats in the highlands forest in Cameron, Tree Sisters take on lots of vital projects for the planet.
- Cool Earth are not a tree-planting charity as such but are worthy of an honorary mention in this post for the great work they do in protecting what still remains of the lungs of the earth, the rainforests. They do this by using one of the most effective & proven rainforest conservation methods — engaging local communities directly to halt deforestation.
3. HOW TO PLANT TREES FOR A LIVING
How can you get paid to plant trees?
If you are willing to travel abroad, you could find some great opportunities worldwide and can live close to nature for as long as you are willing to stay.
This will, of course, be hard work, but it’s rewarding for those who understand the importance of tree planting and feel compelled to help save the planet.
In the UK, with no experience, it can be quite hard to get into a job in tree planting, but there are careers you can pursue or businesses you could start to help plant more trees in the UK and get paid for it.
Let’s explore these options below:
A) Search for jobs that involve tree planting, such as an Arboricultural Officer who specialises in tree maintenance and planning tree planting projects.
A lot of these jobs will likely require experience, so if you are set on planting trees for a career, getting started by volunteering at a local charity like the Woodland Trust, RSPB or Wildlife Trusts would be a great start.
A degree in forest management, arboriculture or woodland ecology and conservation could also be very helpful.
You can view some of the available jobs that involve tree planting via these links:
Tree Planting Jobs – Environment Jobs
B) Start a gardening business (or apply to work for one) that specialises in planting trees, shrubs, and more.
You could offer general gardening services or even more specific environmental gardening services such as wildlife gardening or organic gardening with tree planting as a service you offer to diversify your chances of getting work.
You could also choose to specialise in planting trees. If it’s your business, then it’s completely up to you!
If you don’t have much gardening experience, it will pay to get started by working for a local gardener first. Try to find local gardeners who offer tree-planting services and ask if they are looking to hire anyone.
A horticultural qualification or a course in permaculture could also help you to gain the understanding needed to carry out this work and start your own business.
You could also look into starting your own nursery, growing trees (and other plants) from seed at home, and selling them to people for their own gardening projects.
4. GROWING TREES IN YOUR OWN GARDEN SPACE
It is not legal to plant trees on public property without the landowners’ permission. However, if you have your own garden, front garden, or balcony, then you could choose to grow a tree in your own space, whether in pots or in the ground.
Growing your own tree is fun and rewarding. Planting trees in your back garden is a great way to bring nature into your home, adding to your own little ecosystem.
It is important to consider what trees you plant and where you plant them, i.e., planting a new Oak tree in a small garden will almost certainly not be a great idea in years to come as it will outgrow the garden, and the roots could start to spread underneath the house.
Check out the RHS guide on Trees and the Law for more information to consider.
For more advice on how to plant a tree at home or what native tree species to choose, check out this handy guide by The Wildlife Trust.
SUMMARY
As discussed above, there are numerous ways you can get involved in tree planting in the UK, either by:
- Getting out there and volunteering locally with a charity i.e. Trees for Cities or The Wildlife Trusts
- Donating to a tree-planting charity — such as One Tree Planted
- Taking it up professionally and starting or joining a tree-planting business
- Planting a tree that fits your own back garden
Which option will you choose? Let us know in the comments below!
