![Our forestry team with our volunteers on tree-planting day](/sites/default/files/styles/1200widthonly/public/2021-04/Volunteers-and-forestry-team-planting-day-17-Dec-2019-2.jpg?itok=QPztYQGH)
Volunteer Victories
We are incredibly lucky to benefit from the commitment of 78 regular volunteers. Whatever the weather, these fantastic individuals turn up and generously support our vital mission with their energy and enthusiasm.
As the Forest grows and our important work across education, communities and biodiversity develops, we are becoming more and more reliant on this brilliant band of helpers to support the charity.
As a new year starts, it’s the ideal time to look back and celebrate some of their achievements in 2019.
Volunteer achievements in 2019
In 2019, our regular volunteers:
- Were responsible for sowing, growing and nurturing 15,000 saplings at our tree nursery. These new trees are ready to be planted at our new planting site at Newnham in the New Year. All of the hours spent weeding, seeding and maintaining the tree nursery have allowed us to grow a significant portion of the trees destined for the 2019/20 planting season.
- Planted 12,318 trees between January and December 2019. This is despite poor weather, flooding and frozen ground.
- Removed plastic tree guards from an area of 243 acres of the Forest, which is the equivalent of 121 standard football pitches. Ensuring that all the materials removed are responsibly recycled and not left out on the trees and land is a crucial part of our work.
- Helped with the creation of our first accessible trail in the Forest at Morgrove Coppice which will open to the public in early 2020. This is a major success in ensuring that as many people as possible can spend time in the Forest.
- Contributed a staggering 4,302 volunteer hours towards supporting the Forest. Volunteers have worked all year round contributing across forestry, gardening, education, biodiversity and events. This is the equivalent working hours of two full time members of staff.
Put simply, without the support of volunteers the charity wouldn’t have made the significant progress it has in 2019, providing a positive impact on the environment, communities, people and wildlife.
To all our volunteers, whether you have given a few hours, a full day, or a day every week across the whole year – thank you! You have made a real and lasting difference and we look forward to working with you in 2020.
![2 volunteers working hard in the sun](/sites/default/files/styles/2000widthonly/public/2021-04/Volunteer-victories-.jpg?itok=ldGTMz6H)
Volunteer in the Forest
If your New Year’s resolution is to do something positive and practical for the environment, make a difference to your local community, meet new people or learn new skills, then volunteering with the Heart of England Forest could be for you. It’s never too late to get involved.
We offer flexible volunteering options both inside and outside, and a range of activities to suit all interests, abilities and skill sets. Visit the volunteer web page to find out more and get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.