Millions of children from every school in the United Kingdom have been challenged to "get growing" a million trees in what might be the UK's highest-profile forestry communications campaign ever mounted.
Each of 30,000 primary and secondary schools is to be given a packet of native tree seeds for cultivating and planting out. The initiative is being spearheaded by the News of The World newspaper and the Forestry Commission, and supported by the Royal Mail.
Government Ministers and leading sports and television personalities are backing the campaign to help raise children's understanding of the vital role of trees and forests in the environment and the world's climate.
The Forestry Commission is to provide ten million Scots pine, alder and silver birch seeds. Also in the pack will be a special schools version of its popular DVD about the role that trees and forests can play in tackling climate change.
The packs will be sent to schools with instructions for sowing and caring for the seeds and planting them out later in the year. The young trees can be planted out either in school grounds or in appropriate places nearby, such as public greenspaces, parks, churchyards or sites made available by other owners.
Children in late primary and early secondary years are the main target audience for the initiative, and the Education Ministers in all four countries are lending their support.
Paul Nicholas, deputy managing editor of the News of the World, said,
"We're delighted to work with the Forestry Commission on what we believe is the biggest and most ambitious 'green' project ever undertaken by a national newspaper in the UK.
"The News of the World, as part of News International, went carbon neutral in January 2008: the first major newspaper group to do so. It is that spirit which we want to bring to every corner of the country. The forestry sector does a hugely worthwhile job, often for little praise, but if we can help spread the word, a new generation might appreciate even better the need to care for our environment.''
Tim Rollinson, Director-General of the Forestry Commission, added,
"We're delighted to be working the News of the World on this fantastic opportunity to communicate with such a large and important audience.
"Deforestation is the second largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions, so it's vital that the next generation is well informed about how trees, woods and forests impact upon the Earth's climate and environment. This project is a fantastic way to do it and recruit the support of millions of school children who will be the future decision-makers and guardians of the planet."
The project was launched in the Sunday 22 February edition of the News of the World, and the Commission began receiving enquiries from schools immediately afterwards. Backing the campaign were John Terry and Barry Ferguson, England and Scotland football captains; Ryan Jones, Wales rugby captain; and Peter Jones of BBC2's popular 'Dragons' Den' programme. The Royal Mail is delivering the school packs free of charge.
Schools will receive their packs during April, when the News of the World will establish a stand-alone website, www.treesforschools.org, to support the campaign and report on progress. In the meantime the launch coverage is available on the newspaper's website, www.newsoftheworld.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITOR:
- The tree species in the school packs were chosen because they have a good chance of success, and they encourage consideration of species type in adapting to climate change. They were collected from UK native sources and supplied by Forestry Commission nurseries. They are being delivered in April for sowing immediately. The birch and alder seedlings should be ready for planting out next winter (2009-10), while the Scots pine seedlings will take longer to be ready. Several million seeds are being distributed - enough to ensure that, allowing for seed failures, at least a million trees, and possibly many more, will survive to maturity.
- Schools will receive their packs of seeds and DVDs directly – they do not have to buy the News of the World or visit its website, but, from mid-April, they will be able go straight to the project website,
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