LOCAL schools and community groups are taking delivery of some of the 48,000 free trees from the Woodland Trust.

Some 446 schools and 75 community groups from the south east successfully applied for the packs from the conservation charity.

The packs are funded by Sainsbury’s, Ikea, players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and Yorkshire Tea.

In addition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has supported the Woodland Trust to provide packs for state funded primary schools in England.

Packs come in three sizes. Small packs contain 30 saplings to plant a small copse or short hedgerow; medium contain 105 trees ideal for planting in small groups or a hedge of around 30 metres; and large which contain 420 plants, enough to cover an acre of land or create a hedge of around 85 metres.

Being delivered are

• 420 working wood type trees to Churcher’s College Junior School, Liphook,

• 105 wild harvest type trees to Grayshott Primary School,

• 30 copse trees to St Bartholomew’s Primary, Haslemere, and

• 105 for year-round colour to Chiddingfold’s Messy Church, which intends to plant them in the graveyard and around the church.

Director of Woodland Creation John Tucker said: “We are thrilled so many people have applied for our free packs and delighted that our partners continue to support our commitment to plant 64 million trees over the next decade.

“Trees bring so many benefits to our landscape, whether it’s a rural or urban setting. They tackle air pollution, improve water quality, provide shelter for crops and livestock, shade for rivers, valuable habitat for a wealth of wildlife and can improve our mental wellbeing.

“Our neighbourhoods feel better places to live and work in when they’re green, yet woodland cover in England stands at just 10 per cent. The UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe.

“We must increase the number and variety of native trees we are planting if we are to have any hope of heading off the risk of deforestation, so it’s wonderful that so many people want to help us do this and we wish them well with their planting events over the coming weeks.”

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said: “This scheme is a wonderful way to not only encourage more trees to be planted, but to inspire children to connect with the environment around them.

“By working with the Woodland Trust to give free trees to schools, children across the country will be able to learn about nature and help make their schools and neighbourhoods better places to live and play.”

The next time the Woodland Trust sends out its free tree packs will be November. The deadline for applications is Friday, September 8.

Every pack is different, but each one contains saplings from seeds which were collected and grown in the UK. People can choose from species that will flourish in wetlands, attract wildlife, provide year-round colour or grow a wild harvest.

• To get a free pack visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/freetrees