The Woodland Trust is launching the UK’s largest mass tree planting campaign with the aim to get one million people to pledge to plant a tree on 30 November to help fight the climate emergency.

Known as The Big Climate Fightback, The Woodland Trust will be hosting planting days across the UK on November 30 – the focal event will be the Young People’s Forest in Mead, near Heanor in Derbyshire.

The campaign was devised in response to calls from the public to be given a practical way to tackle the UK’s tree planting crisis, according to The Woodland Trust.

Darren Moorcroft, chief executive at the Woodland Trust, said: “Most people are aware of the race against time in terms of climate change and planting trees being part of the solution – they absorb harmful CO2 and produce vital oxygen. But we are not planting anywhere near enough.

“The Big Climate Fightback is about inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds and providing the chance to take direct action – they have to simply go to our website and pledge to plant a tree, whether it’s in their back yard, neighbourhood, school or at a nearby planting event. It’s an easy way for people to do their individual bit for climate change as part of a mass movement.”

November represents the start of the traditional tree planting season. The Big Climate Fightback takes place during National Tree Week, a week of tree planting organised by the Tree Council, and is also Tree Charter Day – a national day of celebration of trees and woods.

There are a number of ways that people can get involved in The Big Climate Fightback including attending a tree planting event, planting a tree in your garden, hosting a tree planting event in your community, making a donation to the Woodland Trust, speaking to your local council about tree planting opportunities in your area, and sharing #EveryTreeCounts on social media.

The Woodland Trust is bidding to plant a tree for every person in the UK by 2025. All the trees provided by the Woodland Trust will be UK sourced and grown native broadleaf varieties such as oak, birch and hawthorn.

The Big Climate Fightback

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyles including sustainable and green living. She also offers content services to businesses and individuals at Rosamedea.com