News

Housing group volunteers plant trees to help make homes for nature

Published:: 28 November 2024

A group of volunteers planting trees and building tree guards in a field. — A group of volunteers planting trees and building tree guards at Longshaw | © National Trust

Staff and volunteers from Mears Group, have been working with National Trust rangers to create homes for nature by planting trees on the Longshaw Estate.

A team of 20 people from the housing management and maintenance company’s Sheffield office worked alongside rangers to plant 20 young oak, birch, rowan and holly saplings in tree guards designed to protect the trees as they grow.

Their hard work will help the National Trust to establish more trees at Longshaw to develop wood pasture and create homes for wildlife in the future. Birds, insects, plants, and people will benefit from this work in years to come.

About the volunteering project

Planting trees was the second part of the volunteer’s project following a previous visit to the estate in the summer when they built wooden tree guards and learnt more about the importance of creating the right conditions for trees to establish. They also found out more about the benefits of planting trees, which store carbon, improve soil health, and reduce the risk of flooding.

Their recent return visit coincided with tree planting season, and was an opportunity to plant the young saplings, which were all grown at Longshaw, mostly from seed collected in the area and nurtured in the estate’s tree nursery.

A person bent down inside a treeguard made of wood and metal fencing material planting a small tree sapling. — Planting a tree sapling inside a tree guard at Longshaw | © National Trust

The benefits of the project

Sophie Hepworth, Partnerships Manager for North East, Yorkshire & Humber at Mears Group, said:

“We were keen to collaborate with the National Trust on a project that aligned with Mears’ commitment to social value, improving lives and contributing towards a healthy planet.”

The tree planting project at Longshaw was a great opportunity to not only support staff wellbeing by getting them out into the fresh air together, but also give back to the local community."

Chris Milner, Area Ranger for the National Trust at Longshaw said:

“It has been wonderful to work alongside the team from Mears. Their hard work has helped us to get more trees in the ground. I can see how passionate and interested the team are. Many of the group told me they were keen to come back to see how the trees they have planted are growing and changing with the seasons.”

Funding the project

This work has been made possible thanks to the support of the Mears Foundation, the charitable arm of Mears Group, who kindly supported the project with a grant of £1,000 to pay for tree guards and materials.

Meadow with autumnal tree at Lodge Park and Sherborne Estate, Gloucestershire

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