More Trees Now to introduce transplantation method in Corby
On the 25th and 26th of November More Trees Now organises a ‘harvest’ day with and for the community or Corby. On a harvest day one saves redundant or unwanted saplings to transplant them to places where they are wanted and can become mature trees. Lots of saplings are removed in routine forest management, but they are a valuable source of indigenous and free planting material. The method was developed in the Netherlands, of whom a small delegation will be present at the event to share their knowledge.
The aim is to accelerate tree planting initiatives throughout the UK to stop climate change and support biodiversity restoration. Trees are necessary to preserve biodiversity in both the countryside and in cities, mitigate and absorb waterflow, provide shade in hot times both in and outside of the city, as well as sequester carbon. The UK is currently not on track to meet climate goals, which would require 2 billion extra trees by 2040. At the same time, the demand for trees is at an all time high, for both natural and commercial planting efforts, in a time when climate change threatens forests and trees with pests, drought and storms. Circular forestry could provide a simple easy solution. Saplings are abundant, and everyone in the community can participate!
25/11: presentation
26/11: harvest day
From Save the Oaks to Save the Sapling
The harvest event will take place at Weldon Woodland Park after which the saved saplings will be heeled in at a local treehub. These trees will be given away for free at a later stage.
Rob Newby and others took the initiative to bring the transplantation method to Corby: “During lockdown I co-started the initiative ‘SAVE THE OAKS’ to save thousands of oak saplings from being destroyed when they could not be sold. This transplantation method saves trees in a similar fashion, making sure no tree goes to waste and has the opportunity to mature and contribute to our environment! We hope to mobilise this community for more events in the future.”
More Trees Now
Every tree creates hundreds of saplings a year. The majority of these saplings will not reach adulthood. They either disappear naturally due to competition, but quite often they are removed in routine forest management. They grow in a peat bog, hiking path, or they are thinned due to crate spaces for more different types of tree specifies and plants. This is a source of diverse, ecological, free and indigenous trees. By transplanting these saplings one can restore ecosystems and create forests and green areas elsewhere. More Trees Now is an initiative based on Meer Bomen Nu, a Dutch initiative which has inspired a mass volunteering movement that has transplanted over 1.4 million saplings in three winters in the most densely populated country in Europe. They have created an online tool which allows for a decentralized organisation where anyone can organize events and register and track saplings from their old to their new destination. The aim is to make tree planting accessible and free for all who are concerned about biodiversity loss and deforestation.
