The Woodland Trust is inviting schools and community groups in the Shepton Mallet area to participate in a significant re-treeing effort across Somerset.

The Trust is offering hundreds of thousands of trees, with delivery scheduled for March and November, suitable for planting.

Applications for Autumn 2024 tree delivery open on 15th January and interested parties fare advised to act swiftly, as the trees are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and to apply, visit [email protected]. These tree packs are funded by partners including Sainsbury's, Lloyds Bank, and OVO Energy.

Somerset Council's Woodland Creation Officers are available to assist with advice on tree and hedgerow planting. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] for support.

This initiative is part of the Council's Tree Strategy, aiming to plant 240 hectares of new trees and woodlands annually until 2033. Increasing tree coverage, which currently stands at only 8% in Somerset, is vital for the county's Net Zero ambitions.

Councillor Dixie Darch, Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change said: “This is an exciting opportunity for schools and communities across Somerset to get involved in helping to increase our woodland coverage. Whether it’s planting one tree or several you can make a difference by uniting with your school friends or neighbours to plant trees for free and help change happen.”

Before you apply, you’ll need to:

·     Know the six-digit grid reference for the land you wish to plant using OS Maps

·     Have permission from the legal landowner

·     You can find out important and useful information by reading through The Woodland Trust short list of FAQs.

To find out more about what you need to plan, plant and importantly, care for your trees, access The Woodland Trust’s planning tool, planting advice and interactive activities, which are helpful for community groups and schools too.