A Devon-based charity hopes to breathe more life into Dartmoor with their biggest planting season so far. Moor Trees hopes to plant a tree to represent every person living on Dartmoor – all 34,000 of them.

To achieve this milestone, the Devon-based charity will launch a Crowdfunder on Friday, 19 July, to raise the funds to plant the 34,000 trees this winter in and around Dartmoor National Park.

The charity hopes for donations, big and small, from residents, visitors, and enthusiasts of Dartmoor in a bid to restore and enhance the existing native woodland region.

The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, with only 13 per cent tree cover compared to the European average of 38 per cent. Native broadleaf woodland provides a fantastic habitat for a wide range of creatures, plants, and fungi. Dartmoor is particularly special, having been identified as an area with pockets of temperate rainforest, an internationally important habitat.

Moor Trees grows native broadleaf trees, such as hornbeam, buckthorn, wych elm, and oak, in its two community tree nurseries, where local seed stock is carefully selected to ensure each tree is suitable for conditions in the local area, reducing the risk of disease and giving every tree the best chance of survival in its new home.

Helen Aldis, Chief Executive of Moor Trees, said: “These funds will allow us, with the help of our fantastic volunteers, to get many more trees in the ground this planting season. The effects of nature and climate crises are alarming, and trees are part of the natural solution, with huge benefits to wildlife as well as providing carbon storage. Everyone can do their bit by donating and also by spreading the word, as we know it’s not just people in Devon who care about the future of Dartmoor.”

Moor Trees is delighted to announce that Aviva will be match-funding donations for the duration of the 34,000 Trees Crowdfunder, along with extra match-funding support from the Devon Environment Foundation. The Crowdfunder goes live on Friday, 19 July, and runs throughout the rest of July and August. Visit the Moor Trees website for more details, or go to Crowdfunder and search for Moor Trees.