Tree-mendous effort by our volunteers
We’re celebrating a tree-mendous achievement that will provide a boost for biodiversity. We work with volunteers and community groups in green spaces all over the district, planting trees every year in line with national and regional targets... and this year, we’re delighted to have broken their own record by planting over 19,000 trees in just one tree-planting season.
All SVPs tree are planted with care and attention
In 2022/23, the SVP team planted 6,000 trees and hedgerow plants while in 2023/24, we planted 8,500; but this season, between November 2024 to March 2025, SVP’s staff and volunteers along with members of the public have planted an astonishing 19,139 trees.
“We’re incredibly proud of all the trees we’ve planted throughout Stroud and the surrounding towns and villages,” explains SVP’s CEO Clare Mahdiyone. “Our Woodland Wizard Stuart Roweth has been working with us for four years now, and together we came up with the ambitious idea to try and break our own record in this tree-planting season, which meant we were aiming to plant over 8,500 trees. Not only have we exceeded this, we think it’s fair to say we absolutely smashed it!
“Our hardy volunteers have been out rain or shine, planting trees and hedgerow in all kinds of locations, including alongside the canal development at Fromebridge; at two playing fields in Nailsworth with community members young and old (and four-legged!); at a community farm near Painswick, where we planted dozens of Willow whips [saplings]; and at Sapperton, in partnership with regenerative agriculture specialists Sapperton Wilder.
“We choose our trees with great care so they fit into with each specific ecosystem, and we also plant plenty of hedgerow, which is vital to vary natural habitats and create a sustainable green corridor.”
At the Gliding Club, under a moody sky
The trees planted by SVP will provide homes for birds, small mammals and invertebrates, reduce soil erosion and flooding, and capture carbon; even now, they’re producing 200 tonnes of oxygen – but after 10 years, the trees will have saved 103,432,462.382 litres of water evaporation and stored 376 tonnes of carbon, equal to a 2,590-mile commercial flight!*
*8billiontrees.com
After a hard day’s work at Westonbirt