This is not a drill.
It's a real emergency.
Our climate is changing rapidly...
Our polar ice caps are melting and our forests are burning...
..but there is something that can be part of the solution,
something that's freely available, cheap and makes us all happy.
It's trees.
But we need to start planting them quickly before it's too late.
I'm Chris Packham and tonight, with a host of other familiar faces,
we're going to celebrate the wonder of trees, and in just one hour,
raise enough money to plant 100,000 new trees across our green
and pleasant land.
Good evening and welcome.
I'm in the heart of the New Forest.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
But I have to tell you, there are problems
with Britain's woodland.
We're not planting new trees quickly enough.
Forests are being cleared.
Wildlife is being lost.
And when it comes to our climate crisis, there's never been a more
urgent time to address this issue...
Our planet is in trouble.
But, you know, trees can be part of the solution.
They soak up carbon emissions, they help reduce pollution,
they help stop flooding, they nurture nature,
and they make our landscapes much more resilient.
So, we need to make a difference, and tonight, we aim to do just that.
In the course of the next hour we want to raise enough money
to plant 100,000 trees across the UK.
I'm going to tell you how you can take part, how a donation
of as little as £1.50 will plant a tree.
Now, come on!
That's about the same as a price of a cup of coffee.
We're going to be celebrating the wonder of trees and to help us
do that, we've teamed up with the Woodland Trust,
and I'm very pleased to say that Carol Honeybun-Kelly is here to tell
us a bit more.
So, if people donate, where's their tree going to be, as it were?
We're sending them anywhere from Shetland down to Guernsey
and all points in between.
It could be any number of community groups to apply
to us for trees, WI, probation service, scouts, guides...
It could be anywhere.
And if they apply for the trees, they clearly want them, so they're
going to be nurturing them?
Absolutely, they are.
We've got lots of advice on our website.
And then as the trees arrive, they have planting instructions,
care instructions with them.
Those trees can be with us for decades and decades,
in some occasions, centuries, so we want to make sure that they
reach their maturity and do the role for which they were born.
All excellent stuff.
So, how do people donate?
They can donate to our website tonight.
So, go and have a look...
Carol, thank you very much.
Thank you.
We'll be hearing more from Carol and the Woodland Trust
later in the programme.
But first, to a broadcasting legend, a man who loves taking the UK's
politicians to task, but what you might not know
is that he also has a great passion for British woodland.
We asked John Humphrys why we should share his love for trees.
This is Heartwood Forest, Heartwood New Forest.
They started planting these trees less than ten years ago.
There are now more than 600,000 of them...
..and, in a relatively few years, they'll be changing,
because they're growing and they will turn into this -
cos this behind me now is Heartwood's ancient forest.
And, by golly, we need those trees.
We need them for our wellbeing.
We need them for the future of the planet.
This forest has been Louise Neicho's life for nearly ten years.
She was the project manager from start to finish.
So, give me an idea of what this lovely bit of woodland
was like ten years ago.
What was it?
Well, all of what we see was arable land, so it was just
completely bare lands, but since then we've
planted 600,000 trees.
Every single one with a volunteer, so...
That's a lot of volunteers!
It was, yeah!
So, we did involve 45,000 people.
Half of those were schoolchildren.
They're tiny little twigs that we plant.
No more than two foot - some of them smaller.
People will say, "This little tiny sapling,
it'll take forever "for it to grow into a tree!"
I know.
And look at that.
I know, it's amazing.
And how long has that taken?
Well, that one's taken nine years, which is no time at all, really,
when you think about it.
We haven't talked about what all this does for
the wildlife in general.
When we started the Heartwood Project, we made a point
of monitoring all of the species that were here and the stats
that we've found out are simply incredible.
So, the butterfly species have more than doubled.
The bird numbers have actually almost doubled
since the beginning of the project - literally just in ten years.
There's no question that trees are a marvel for both humans
and wildlife above the ground, but below our feet, trees work
perhaps even greater wonders.
Louise is taking me deep into Heartwood's ancient
woodland to tell me how.
Right, Louise, so this, so that I'm quite clear,
this is ancient woodland as opposed to ancient trees.
Yes, that's right.
And the reason?
What you find in ancient woodland, it's not so much about the actual
trees that are growing...
like this one.
Like this one.
Actually, it's about the soil.
So it's the soil that hasn't been tampered with.
It hasn't been ploughed.
It hasn't been sprayed.
It's literally always been trees.
Trees have always been here.
What we see above ground isn't nearly as important or interesting
as what is going on underground.
There's this phrase, the Wood Wide Web,
which refers to that symbiotic relationship between trees.
They talk to one another, benefit one another,
and it's really all about how they have that exchange.
They literally communicate with each other.
Yeah.
That is extraordinary.
They are actually helping each other to thrive.
Yeah, it's a whole community that's happening just underneath our feet.
Ancient woodland is one thing.
Ancient trees, individual specimens, they're something else again.
I've come south to just outside Dover to make the acquaintance
of this majestic specimen.
For centuries, this oak tree has been known
as "The Majesty" with good reason.
It's the first time this man has seen it.
Rob calls himself a tree hunter.
He's measured and recorded more than 500 ancient trees.
Take a look at this.
Wow.
It's hard to find...
Totally speechless...
It is hard to find the words, but what is it that
makes it so majestic?
With ancient trees, they are just "Wow" trees.
This is a mere youngster, perhaps.
The age is quite a discussion point on this tree.
Go on.
People think this is, you know, 600 plus 700 years old.
Really?
So, oak trees like to be like this.
They like to spread and they really demand a lot of light.
Yeah, and they're worth it.
I know that you came to trees, as it were,
for very personal reasons.
I mean, you had a bit of a breakdown.
The lifestyle I was living, the hours we've worked, or work,
and the pressure we put ourselves under sometimes, and other people
put us under, can take its toll.
and, yeah, I just had a classic burn-out.
Trees...?
Saved my life.
Really?
It's not an exaggeration.
Rob had been struggling with his mental health for nearly
a year until he found solace in Britain's ancient trees...
He discovered one on a walk.
Since then, it's been his life's ambition to document every single
ancient tree in Britain.
Let's have a look at the other side.
Just the walking around!
I mean, the width of it.
Look at that.
Wow.
That's what I've heard about.
Look at that.
Oh, my God.
There's nothing.
It's just hollow!
We can get in there.
You think?
It's hollowed out.
There's nothing there in the middle.
How do you feel about that?
I'm just in awe.
I mean, there is...
It is really hard to find the words, isn't it?
You just...
It's just...
And the sunlight on it this morning.
Oh, isn't it phenomenal?
We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our ancestors who bequeathed us
this magnificent tree and protected it over the centuries,
and we have a huge responsibility to the generations who follow us
to do the same for them.
What a fantastic project there at Heartwood and such a heart
warming story from Rob, as well, shows the true
wonder of trees.
And John Humphrys, such a political heavyweight...
Who'd have thought that he had such a love for trees?
Mind you, he's not the only one.
I'm going to plant a tree for each of my friends.
If you can't plant a tree yourself, would you send a donation
to the Woodland Trust cos they're planning to plant 100,000 trees?
With deforestation going on so much all over the world, please try
and help the Woodland Trust.
Thanks.
I have a passion for trees, too, and earlier this morning I went
to see my favourite tree in the whole wide world.
This is the spot.
I've got something very special to show you.
This is probably my favourite wild organism on planet Earth.
It's this magnificent beech pollard that grows in the woods
close to where I live.
I've seen bigger trees.
I've seen older trees.
There are older trees quite close to here.
This tree is probably between 500 and 650 years old,
which means it dates from the English Civil War, or maybe
back to the time of Henry VIII.
Try to get your head round that, you know, that this was a sapling
growing out of this soil when Henry VIII was on the throne or Cromwell
was fighting the Cavaliers.
It's a piece of history.
It's a great natural, national treasure.
It goes beyond precious.
Beyond precious...
It's invaluable and it's irreplaceable.
You know, look, if we were to destroy an Elizabethan house,
we could rebuild it.
If this comes down, it can't be replaced.
I just like being in its presence.
Must be getting soft...
Blimey.
I'm an old punk rocker.
I've got to harden up.
I'm going to have to go away and listen to The Clash.
So, there you have it.
We have to plant more trees so that in 500 years' time there'll be
a planet fit for future generations to inhabit, and we can start
by doing that right now.
You can donate to have a tree planted for as little as £1.50.
Just go to...
Don't go away.
Welcome back.
We're here in the beautiful New Forest and in this
programme we're partnering with the Woodland Trust to raise
£150,000, which will enable us to plant 100,000 trees
in the UK countryside.
If you'd like to donate, then please visit...
Now, the UK is one of the least forested parts of Europe and very
sadly, we're still losing trees from our cities, our
parks, our roadsides.
There's a very real danger we could slip into deforestation
where we're cutting down more trees than we're planting.
Meteorologist Clare Nasir has been out to find out
why this is the case, how we got into this state,
and, more critically, how we can rectify it.
Across the world, we've seen the devastating
effects of deforestation.
Swathes of woodland razed, replaced by ever expanding urban sprawl,
ancient rainforests decimated and turned into agricultural land,
and sprawling forests destroyed to pave the way for heavy industry.
Here in the UK, the destruction of jungles and rainforests
may seem a world away, but it's closer than we think.
The UK has a long history of deforestation.
Experts believe that thousands of years ago,
over 90% of the UK was covered in forest, but with
centuries of development, our woodland coverage shrank.
After extensive felling during the First World War,
it stood at only 5%.
Today, it's just 13%.
The extent of deforestation is perhaps most evident
in our ancient woodlands.
This is Ashenbank Wood in Kent.
It's centuries old.
Beautiful forests like this once covered large parts
of the countryside.
Now they only make up about 2% of the UK.
I've come here today to find out more about these wonderful forests
and why they've become such a rare sight.
Welcome to Ashenbank.
Thank you.
Follow me.
Claire Inglis is a site manager for Ashenbank.
That's beautiful.
It is a wonderful sight, absolutely.
It's her job to take care of this ancient woodland.
She's going to show me around.
Oh, Claire, this is such a special woodland.
What makes it so special?
These ecosystems and habitats are our most diverse in the UK.
We know that ancient woodlands have the greatest level
of biodiversity compared to any other habitat
found in the UK.
They've created some really irreplaceable
and complex ecosystems, a whole range of flora,
fungi and fauna associated with those environments.
So, it's a delicate balance between the environment and what happens
within the ecosystem for them to not only survive, but thrive.
Absolutely.
They really highly depend on those ancient woodland habitats.
In that sense, they're very similar to the rainforests in that they're
incredibly biodiverse environments.
Ashenbank has stood here for more than 400 years,
becoming a part of local history, but woods of this age in the UK have
declined significantly.
In fact, over the past 90 years nearly half have been lost.
So, why are ancient woodlands so rare here in the UK?
So, ancient woodlands have faced a number of pressures and threats.
So, we know that ancient woodland only covers around 2.4%
of the UK currently, and that's been greatly reduced,
especially over the last century with the development of agricultural
practises, land use change, roads and infrastructure development.
All of those pose huge threats to ancient woodland.
There's not many ancient woodlands left in the UK.
How do we ensure they will continue to thrive?
There are a number of ways that we can protect ancient woodlands.
So, first and foremost, we've got to stop cutting it down.
Also, looking at planting new trees around ancient woodlands sites.
They take so long to grow and evolve and mature.
You know, we could lose a unique environment like this forever.
They're irreplaceable habitats.
We can't just simply replant an ancient woodland,
because of the fact that it takes hundreds of years to form,
so it's absolutely imperative that we fight to protect it.
The need to plant more trees isn't just about preserving our past.
It's also about protecting our future.
Trees are a vital weapon in the fight against climate change...
..but when it comes to tree coverage in the UK, we're falling way behind.
Currently, only 13% of UK land is covered in woodland.
France has over twice as much, with 31% of the land forested,
and a staggering 68% of Sweden is woodland, making it the most
forested country in Europe.
The Woodland Trust is determined to increase our forest cover.
I met CEO Darren Moorcroft at Langley Vale Wood in Surrey
to find out why it's so essential.
We are in the middle of a climate crisis and I think there's something
that we need to do both in terms of reducing our carbon emissions
in the way we live our lives, but also there's a very simple
and easy natural solution that we should put into the mix of that,
and that's plant more trees.
Tell me why.
Why the tree?
They are the lungs of the Earth.
They're taking in carbon dioxide and they're giving out oxygen
which we obviously need to breathe.
How many trees do we actually need to plant?
So, the government has committed in law that there will be net
carbon zero by 2050.
That means that they will need to balance the amount
of carbon that's emitted through our lifestyles with ways
in which we can capture that carbon and take it back out
of the atmosphere.
So, by 2050, we need 1.5 billion trees to be growing
and we need to do it now.
The climate crisis may seem like an insurmountable problem,
but nature has provided us with a lifeline in the form
of amazing trees like these.
It's now up to us to take it.
Thanks, Claire.
Now, I'm pleased to say that I'm joined again by Carol Honeybun-Kelly
from the Woodland Trust to give us a few tree tips.
You've got a little tree there, Carol.
If someone wanted to plant their own, how
should they go about it?
Well, first, you need to look at the space you've got available.
Clearly, some trees, oaks and beech, will go up to 20, 40 metres.
You don't want to wake up to a Jack And The Beanstalk scenario
with an enormous thing outside your house.
So, look at the space you've got and what you want that tree to do,
but these are really simple to plant.
We send them out at one year's growth, this size,
for several reasons - cos we can transport them
really easily and they're very simple to plant.
So, it's not too time consuming and youngsters can do
it as well as adults.
Is this a £1.50 tree?
This is a £1.50 tree, and it's what we use in a lot
of our woodland creation schemes.
So, absolutely, this is what you would get.
Well, I've got a spade but I'll supervise...
I'll supervise.
You do the demonstrating!
There you go.
OK.
There it is.
So, you can see from that it's been grown in a cell,
so it's got really robust roots.
It will take a little bit of handling without falling over.
You don't have to dig a big hole.
So, a little T-shape in the soil like that and just
lever it with your spade.
And then you can just take it and gently guide that root ball
down into the ground.
It's really important that when you've done that,
you mind where you put your wellies, but you're quite firm
about pressing it into position, because this has to make it
through the whole winter, so it needs to be firm.
Its roots need to be secured in the ground,
and then come rain or wind, it will sit there, be ready to take
off in March, and start growing when the sun comes out.
Thank you very much indeed.
You made it look very simple!
If you're not into gardening, though, there is another way that
you can so easily plant a tree, and that's by making a donation
of as little as £1.50.
Just go to...
..and then join us back in the forest after the break.
Welcome back, and you join us on a very special evening.
You see, we're attempting to raise £150,000 so that we can plant
100,000 trees across the UK, and for a donation of as little
as £1.50 you can plant a single tree, but for a little bit more,
you could plant trees for the whole family.
What a top idea that would be.
So, please, keep giving generously on that Woodland Trust website.
The details of which are currently on the screen.
I'm very pleased to say that I've been joined by my friend
and colleague Martin Hughes-Games.
Martin, you've been digging into the science of how trees can
really help the planet.
I have, Chris.
I mean, we all know that trees are great, one way or another,
but if you look into the science, get under the bark, if you like,
then it becomes truly fascinating.
Have a look at this...
Every tree is an incredible scientific machine.
Get this - an acre of woodland in a year can absorb as much carbon
dioxide as a car would produce travelling 26,000
miles, that's round the circumference of the Earth.
How can they possibly do that?
Well, it's all down to the magic of photosynthesis.
It begins in the roots, where water is absorbed and carried up
the trunk to the leaves.
Air containing carbon dioxide is taken into the leaves
through minute pores.
Now, carbon from the carbon dioxide combines with water in the leaves
and energy from the sun, and results in a number
of different chemical reactions.
They in turn turn that carbon into food and energy for the tree,
but the by-products are water vapour and oxygen.
They're pushed out through the tree's leaves,
cleaning the air we breathe, and all free of charge.
The scientific wonder of trees doesn't end with their ability
to lower our carbon footprint.
Worldwide, over 4 billion people are living in urban areas,
and it's predicted that figure will rise to almost
8 billion by 2050.
Buildings are going up and temperatures are rising.
But, amazingly, trees can help keep cities cool.
In this image of Manchester during summer, the city centre
appears to be almost on fire compared to its surrounding areas...
A heat map of London during summer also shows a sea of red...
..but a closer inspection shows small, cooler pockets of green...
..and these are, you guessed it, parks.
Doctor of biological science, Matthew Tallis, believes this
evidence proves that trees can help combat our ever rising temperatures.
It may sound a bit of a naive question, but why should we worry?
Some people might say, "Oh, I like it being warmer."
Well, the temperatures are going up in our cities principally
because of the building material.
So, all the tarmac, the bricks, the concrete, that can absorb
a lot of heat energy.
In the UK, for example, as we look to the future,
by about 2050, it's predicted that we could be looking
at up to about 7,000 heat-related deaths in the UK.
It's a kind of a hidden killer.
So, how can trees help with this, with this temperature rise?
Well, trees can help in cooling the local environment by,
principally, shading so they can stop the sun actually warming
all this stone material, but the main reason
is the phenomenon of trees called transpiration.
Extensive root networks can take in a lot of soil water.
As it reaches the leaves, it's evaporated as a gas,
so it actually cools the local environment.
So, they're absorbing heat and releasing water vapour,
that also helps cool us down - a bit like sweating?
Yes, that's the process by which we cool ourselves.
It's the same process within transpiration.
For example, a typical oak tree can transpire 200-400
litres of water a day.
Wow.
It's like an air conditioning unit.
A really efficient one.
It's amazing.
Yeah.
On a hot summer's day, compared to this park,
it could be three or four degrees warmer in the city, let alone
on a hot summer's day in a further away rural environment...
The city could be seven to nine degrees warmer.
Seven to nine degrees warmer...
Yes.
We should plant trees.
We really should plant more trees.
Earlier in the year, it was announced that this school
was the second most polluted school in the whole of London.
And yet, in the space of a few months, they've dramatically
improved the air quality all around here.
How?
Trees.
Claire Fletcher is the head teacher at St Paul's CE
Primary School in Hammersmith.
So, Claire, it must have been a terrible shock
to you when you discovered that you were the second most
polluted school in London.
What did you decide to do?
We wanted the children to understand about the pollution issue.
They knew straight away that they wanted more greening.
Did they?
They knew that greening was powerful.
They'd learned from the workshops with the local authority
that greening could make a substantial difference.
With the knowledge that trees could help combat
the bad air around them, the 200 pupils set about creating
their very own woodland.
The children planted 17 semi-mature trees...
17?
17.
Wow.
..and then a variety of grasses and shrubs.
It's not an enormous amount, but what sort
of results did you get?
We've been astonished by the change.
The pollution levels in the ten spots where we're monitoring,
all of them have reduced by minimum of 25%.
A minimum of 25%, in a matter of months?
Already.
That's just incredible.
They're really amazing things.
They actually form a green shield, they capture the toxins in the air
and then the toxins are washed away by rain.
And also that they breathe in, that they absorb the things that
are in our air that we don't want to have in our lungs.
You've created this little oasis that's not only clearing
the air for the kids, but you've got the kids involved
in the whole process as well.
They really are invested in it.
They can tell you which plants they actually planted.
SCHOOL BELL RINGS.
Time to hear what the gardeners themselves make
of the fruits of their labour.
Have you noticed any difference in the air?
Yes, the air seems way fresher.
Before, I...
It's like I could smell some smoke or some gases,
but I just feel like the air is fresh, it's clean.
I really like it.
Do you like the trees?
Yes.
Yeah.
Very beautiful.
Is the air a bit nicer?
Yeah.
THEY LAUGH.
It is!
It really is!
We've really noticed a change in the air.
Yeah.
Without trees, we wouldn't be alive.
The results of this project are astounding.
But, of course, this school's fight to reduce air pollution and tackle
global warming is just a drop in the ocean.
Air pollution contributes to around 30,000 deaths every
year here in the UK - a huge figure - but trees,
incredibly, can help, cos it's estimated that
a medium-sized tree like this one can remove about two
kilograms of impurities from the air every year.
And with a tree costing just a couple of quid
to plant, it's a no-brainer.
That is remarkable, though - so few trees having such a massive
effect on pollution so quickly.
25% improvement in the air quality, as you say, in just a few months.
I mean, I could hardly believe it, but it's true.
They've got little monitors measuring the pollution,
and it did happen.
Amazing.
Fantastic, fantastic.
But of course, it's not just in urban areas -
in suburban gardens, trees can be extraordinarily
useful, too.
And I'm pleased that Bridget Fox has come from the Woodland Trust to tell
us which trees we should have in our garden.
That's right, Chris.
So trees are great for absorbing CO2 and screening us from pollution.
But not everyone can have a massive oak tree in their garden.
But these are three trees which people can grow
in relatively small gardens, and they have other value
as well all year round.
So this is the rowan tree - very popular.
Fantastic blossom in spring and berries in the autumn.
Great for birds, those berries in autumn.
That's right.
Sometimes called the mountain ash because the leaves look
a bit like ash leaves.
Then we've got my favourite, the wild cherry.
Again, fantastic blossom in springtime.
Great for those pollinators that we need for all of nature,
and amazing cherry fruit in the autumn.
And even if you don't like cherries, again,
it's great for the birds and other wildlife.
And then the crab apple, our oldest native fruit tree.
Lovely glossy leaves and again blossom in spring,
fruit in the autumn - year-round interest.
And these are all trees which can prosper in
a relatively small garden.
They're not going to grow out of control, as it were.
No, that's right.
I mean, like any plant, they need to be looked after.
But you want to plant them about two metres,
at least, from the building.
Both the fruit trees can be pruned, and the rowan
has a nice slim trill - through it can grow quite tall,
it's got quite a small footprint.
So all three of these trees work well in gardens.
Fantastic.
Bridget, when you look at a mature tree, you often see...
Well, not just trees.
..lots of this stuff all around it - moss.
Yes.
Now, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
It's a good thing.
I mean, moss grows on the tree, but it isn't harming it.
It grows just as well on stone.
It's just using it as a base, and it absorbs water, it holds nitrogen.
And really, if moss is flourishing, that's a sign that you've
got good clean air.
And one other thing, one of my favourite plants...
Or not really a plant - a symbiotic relationship.
Lichen.
Is that good?
Yes, it is.
And we've got some fantastic examples here.
These are from this woodland, where they've got lovely clean air.
And you can see these are really foliate-like,
and very foliage-like and quite deep.
And we're used to seeing kind of flat, powdery lichen
in more urban areas, where the air quality's not so good.
So this is a real indicator of good clean air.
Fantastic.
Now, Bridget, I've just got to ask you this.
Haven't you ever dreamt about reducing yourself down
to being about two millimetres high and wandering through this tendril-y
green forest of moss?
BRIDGET LAUGHS.
No?
I hadn't, but I will now.
Oh!
I'm not quite so sure of that, mate, cos if I was two millimetres high
and I got in here with a ground beetle, it would be the size
of a tiger and you'd be in deep trouble.
Hadn't thought of that, Chris.
I'm not going to do it.
Thank you very much.
Trees are absolutely fantastic - not for just dealing with pollution,
but also for enhancing the ecology of our gardens, too.
So let's keep planting those trees.
You know how to do it - by donating as little as £1.50,
you can get a single tree planted.
For a little more, enough for all of your family.
So please keep giving.
The Woodland Trust website is the place to go.
It's...
And we'll see you again after the break.
Welcome back to the final part of a very special programme.
Now, if you thought that a solution to climate change
was beyond any hope, you'd be wrong.
Because climate change is a man-made phenomenon,
I think we often think that we're going to have to rely on human
technology to address it.
Well, we can, but nature has already provided us
with one of our solutions, in the form of a tree.
Now, of course, trees alone are not going to be THE solution
to our climate catastrophe.
But everyone can plant one, and every one planted
makes a difference.
And that's why we're asking you to donate as little as £1.50,
so that we can plant a tree.
And that tree could be on a farm, it could be in a fledgling forest,
it could be in an inner-city school or community park.
To find out a bit more about how all of this works, nature lover,
farmer and former singer of JLS JB Gill has been out and about with
the Woodland Trust in Scotland.
Your donations tonight will pay for trees to be planted
by communities up and down the country, from schools to WIs.
But where do they start their long lives?
Well, I've come to find out.
These amazing trees are grown for the Woodland Trust here
at Alba Trees Nursery in Scotland.
Jackie is part of the team here.
They make sure these trees have the best start in life.
It all begins with the seeds - they're collected from all over
the UK and delivered here, where they're processed,
ready for planting.
So, Jackie, what's going on here?
So this is sorting the acorns into sizes.
This is Craig, our seed manager.
Hello, Craig.
Hello.
JB.
Nice to meet you.
So this is the first step in making sure that your trees
are as strong and as healthy as possible, right?
Yeah, it sure it.
Here, we'll size them into different size categories, and then,
when we're also doing that, you're taking any away that
have a bit of disease in them, or insect damage.
So if we can start with the nice, big, fat, juicy ones
all together in the same box, they should all grow together.
And how important is this part of the process?
Huge.
Cos if any of these dud ones get into the into the system,
you're starting off at a loss.
So, once they're graded, what happens next?
It's on to the striking process, which I can just show you over here.
We'll grab some and I'll get you involved.
Can I have a go?
For sure.
So, the guys have been in before us just striking a wee hole,
just so we've got somewhere to pop the seed.
Go easy on me.
Two at a time?
Yeah.
In there.
Absolutely perfect.
Down to there.
Yeah.
That's ideal.
There we go.
And how important is this part of the process to get it right?
Right, yeah, sure, well, any dud seeds that we put
in at this process, well, it's another cell wasted.
OK, there we go.
I've planted my tray.
What happens next?
Next thing we do is we fill it up with a little bit more
compost using a machine across this way.
OK.
Once the seeds have been planted in their cells,
they go through a machine which tops them up with compost.
From here, they're sent to polytunnels where over
the course of a year, the small seeds turn into saplings.
They then get moved into the field for the last stage of the growing
process, hardening off.
And why is it called hardening off?
What does that mean?
It's just basically getting them acclimatised.
They've obviously come out of a warm environment and they're coming out
into the wind and all the elements that nature will throw at them.
And it's just to make sure that they're ready
to do that when they go to their final destination.
So these are all Woodland Trust trees?
These are all Woodland Trust trees.
Once they've been hardened off, what's their next destination?
We then take them to the packing stage where they're sent
out on their journey.
Wow.
So, this is the last step in the process, is it?
It is, yes.
So, what do we have here?
So, we've got six different species and there's
going to be 105 in each of these boxes.
105 trees?
There are 105.
Every single bundle is 15 plants.
And then once they're all packed up they...
Once they're all packed up.
..get shipped off.
So they get a lid on and they get the planting instructions,
so that everybody knows how they should plant their trees.
That's good.
I needed one of these!
THEY LAUGH.
And that makes sure that once they get
to their forever home, they're in the best
possible condition.
They are, yes.
Brilliant.
Well, thank you so much for showing me around, Jackie.
Thank you.
I think it's time for a cuppa, don't you think?
I think so.
I think we've earned it.
With the help of your donations, these saplings safely nestled
in their boxes will now cross the whole of the UK
to their forever homes.
From Shetland to Belfast, from scout troops to young farmers'
clubs, they'll help people all over the country.
Like here in inner city London, where David is using the saplings
to teach new skills to a group of young adults.
The Woodland Trust also sent us this nice, handy instructions.
They'll go to people like Wendy in Hampshire,
who's creating a forest with the local community.
Each pack is coming with a label.
And they'll be delivered to care homes, like this one
in Burton-on-Trent where gardener Andy wanted some trees
for the residents to enjoy and take care of.
Today, he's looking many years down the line and it can be something
to be really proud of.
With the help of the Woodland Trust, everyone who receives these tree
packs will learn how to take care of their trees and, thanks
in part to your donations, they can cherish them for many
years to come.
Today, I've come to the Young People's Forest in Derbyshire.
Until recently, this whole area was an open cast mine,
but it's now being transformed by the Woodland Trust
into lush forest, dedicated to teaching young people
about the importance of trees.
Today, as part of the project, the Woodland Trust are running
a planting session with a group of local schoolchildren.
It might get rid of some of that water.
Headmaster Rob also came along.
Hey, guys.
Rob.
Hi, JB.
Are you all right, are you?
Hey.
Yeah, I'm really well, thank you.
You're the head teacher here, aren't you?
Yes, I am.
So, tell me why it's important for you to bring the young
children here today.
There's lots of reasons, really.
You know, we talk about environment and the effect that people have
had on the environment, and the ways to tackle
climate change.
And we talk about it in the classroom, and it's really
important that children are given practical ways, they can come out
and get their hands dirty.
And why is it so important to teach them about climate change?
The main reason is that these children have got to look
to make a difference.
They've got to look to make changes and adaptations that
are going to reverse the issues of climate change.
And this is a really good example of that.
Are you quite proud of these children?
They seem to be doing a great job.
It really inspires me to see children getting involved
rolling their sleeves up, having a smile on their face.
And they're doing a great job.
Thank you.
So, what do the kids think?
Very important.
And why do you think that is?
Because plants and trees, they help us breathe,
but we help them breathe at the same time.
Is it fun planting trees?
Yes.
Yeah, very important.
For two reasons.
One, you get your hands dirty.
And two, it's just a good feeling.
Do you think trees are important for the environment?
Yes, they're very important.
And why is that?
Because trees trap all the carbon dioxide.
All right.
Well, good job, girls.
Thank you.
Keep up the good work, all right?
Thank you.
When they're safely planted in their new homes across the UK,
saplings like these will benefit their local communities
for hundreds of years.
With your help, we can change the landscape of Britain and protect
the planet for future generations.
So, get to the website and donate now.
So, the solution really is that simple, Carol.
It absolutely is.
So, whether you're planting lots of trees at landscape
scale for resilience, or smaller groups in your
schools and communities, genuinely, every tree counts,
every single tree.
It's that easy.
And I just couldn't believe how effective they are at giving us
clean air and getting rid of pollutants.
It's amazing.
Bridget, when it comes to nature, we need trees.
We do.
I mean, trees are wonderful in themselves, but they also provide
shelter and shade for wildlife blossoms in the spring,
for the pollinators and food and fruit all year
round for wildlife.
They are fantastic.
Our planet needs trees.
But maybe we need trees too, because we genuinely love our trees.
They are a very important part of our culture as well.
And we didn't ought to forget that, I don't think.
Thank you, Bridget.
Martin, Carol, thank you very much for coming along.
It's been fantastic.
When it comes to addressing the spectre of climate change,
we can often feel that we can't make a difference as individuals.
It's an overpowering, overwhelming situation.
Well, I hope tonight we've addressed that and shown you that you can make
a difference and you can do it by planting a tree.
We've had an amazing evening.
Massive thanks to the Woodland Trust, of course,
and to all of you at home who have donated.
Please keep donating.
The website is still active.
Woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant100k
Come on, let's put those trees in the ground and make a difference.
From all of us in the New Forest, goodnight.
Subtitles by Red Bee Media