National Tree Week is a time to appreciate the natural world and understand our interconnectivity between ourselves and the trees around us.

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How did National Tree Week begin?

National Tree Week is the UK’s biggest celebration of trees! Originally, this week started in response to the trees lost to the Dutch Elm Disease outbreak – a disease which stops the tree from accessing water properly, which occurred in 1973. With this, the week was originally named ‘Plant A Tree in ‘73’. The initial campaign involved many organisations, local authorities, schools, charities, businesses, and individual volunteers alike. This shared enthusiasm for trees surpassed its UK origins and similar initiatives sprung up in several places like South Africa, who created their own celebratory slogan: ‘Plant a tree in ‘73, plant one more in ‘74.’ In the wake of this first campaign, The Tree Council was founded in 1974 to act as a guiding organisation for anyone who wanted to get involved in the planting, conservation, and care of trees throughout the UK.

Trees are essential threads of life, crucial for stabilising soil, producing oxygen and providing habitats for wildlife. They contribute to the beauty and balance of our world, making excellent use of land. Imagine life without them – barren and challenging.
Ben Green, external affairs officer for the Woodland Trust.

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Why is National Tree Week important?

Since 1973, National Tree Week has been a chance for UK conservationists, volunteers, and tree-enthusiasts alike to come together and plant thousands of trees to share our love for the natural world. Trees are important givers of life. Not only do they provide clean air, offer protection from flooding, and store carbon, but they also offer a home to much of our wildlife. They are an essential part of our ecosystem, and key to not only our, but also the Earth’s survival. It is easy to forget how important trees are, whether that be because we are used to seeing them or, on the other hand, don’t see them enough, but this week offers a chance to reconnect with nature and remind ourselves just how essential these living beings are. 

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National Tree Week 2023: a special occasion!

This year, National Tree Week was the 25th of November to the 3rd of December and, in particular, marks a very special occasion. 2023 is the 50th anniversary of the famous tree-planting campaign! To pay homage to this, The Tree Council is encouraging as many people as possible to get involved. Their Have a Tree Party page explores some brilliant ideas about how to do this, whether that’s by getting people together to plant some trees in your local area, crafting things out of natural debris, or simply going for a walk to immerse yourself in the natural world. No matter how you would like to, there are plenty of ways to celebrate this great week!

In true Tree Week spirit, many projects have been happening across the UK in order to raise awareness of biodiversity loss and promote responsible engagement with the natural world, some of which can be explored here:

• 262 green-thumbed volunteers planted more than 2,000 trees at the Magpas Air Ambulance airbase and headquarters in Alconbury Weald.
• Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is planting 230 trees across the hospital site
• Wyre Council has committed to planting 25,000 trees as part of its pledge to tackle climate change
• National Tree Week: Hundreds more trees to be planted in Cornwall
• New funding for tree planting is announced during National Tree Week 2023

It’s not just this week that trees are celebrated either! On the Tree Councils Seasonal Campaigns page, you can see that there are some brilliant events which will help you kick off the new year in a nature-positive way! 

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What can you do to celebrate?

On this National Tree weekend, whether you’re planning to be out planting trees, appreciating them by going for a walk through the forest, or giving your favourite one a hug, this week serves as an important reminder of the importance and necessity of trees and we hope you’ll be joining us in taking the time to remind ourselves of just how beautiful and essential they are.  

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What have Create The Future done to note National Tree Week?

To celebrate National Tree Week, keep a lookout on our website for some inspired poetry, interesting tree facts, and educational material all on the brilliance and empowering nature of trees. You can jump right to these pages by following the links below:

A Poem: The Story of A Tree

A Poem: How Many Memories Hold A Tree

A Poem: There’s No Such Thing As

Informative content: Fun Facts About Trees you may not Already Know

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Get involved!

If you feel inspired and would like to share your own creative writings on trees or the natural world, please feel free to get in touch with us and contact leah@createthefuture.earth for a discussion on how we can share your work on our website.