The 2024/25 planting season has wrapped up, and we’re proud to reflect on Protect Earth’s accomplishments. From October to March, our team, volunteers, and landowners worked together to expand green spaces and restore biodiversity across the UK.
Planting Season by the Numbers
This season, Protect Earth planted 37,417 saplings across 55.85 acres - a 14% increase on what was planted in the 2023/2024 season. While the final count for this season was slightly below our initial projection of 44,540 saplings, it is a remarkable achievement, given our unexpected challenges. Government funding delays meant that some planned projects couldn’t go ahead.
With each season that passes and the increasing amount we are planting, everyone should be both proud and motivated to continue this work to extend and increase natural habitats benefitting the UK.
Creating Lasting Impact
Our efforts in 2024/25 extended across England, Wales, and Scotland - our first project in Scotland. Protect Earth continued work on our established sites like High Wood while expanding our footprint to new areas like Goytre and Nannerch. Work on these sites comprised more than 60% of what was planted this season. This is an incredibly important point as Protect Earth owns and manages these three sites, meaning we had total control over planting plans where our plans focus on long-term habitat restoration.
Beyond planting trees, we also increased our focus on invasive species removal, working with organisations requiring the skills or tools to rid habitats of these destructive plants.
Empowering Communities Through Education
A key part of our mission is to equip landowners, farmers, and community members with the skills needed to protect and restore nature on their patches. Towards the end of this last season, we ran a handful of free courses at Goytre Wood, helping participants gain hands-on experience in sustainable practices. The principal focus of these courses was hedge-laying, which we will be continuing and adding to course topics in time.
Looking Ahead
We’re committed to growing our impact as we plan for the next season. Demand for tree planting continues to rise, and we’re working to build financial resilience to meet these needs. Our online shop now offers an opportunity for individuals and businesses to directly support UK tree planting through the purchase of saplings or subscriptions.
Thank you to all who contributed to making the 2024/25 season a success. Together, we’re making a lasting impact for nature and future generations.
