Planting trees is good.
Good for the planet. Good for the soul. Good for everyone.
So far I have planted 10,000 trees on our land. But now we are running out of space.
But I have a plan.
I will create a tree nursery...
My Little Nursery
If I can't plant more trees here on my land, then the next best thing I can do is grow young trees for others to plant.
We have space for about an acre of nursery. An acre is 43560 sq ft.
If each young tree needs a 2 ft square to grow in while potted, then the acre will provide space for about 10,000 trees.
It would take two or three years to ramp up production to 10,000 trees a year but I reckon by 2030 I could produce around 90,000 young trees.
Together with the 10,000 trees I have already planted on our land that will give me a lifetime total of 100,000 trees.
A UK broadleaf tree is estimated to take up 1 tonne of CO2 during an average 100 year lifespan.
If only a quarter of my 100,000 trees make it to become centenarians, then they will in total be responsible for taking up 25,000 tonnes of CO2.
An average UK citizen is currently responsible for the production of around 10 tonnes of CO2 per year.
With lower emissions in my early years, and hopefully lower emissions in a more efficient future, my lifetime CO2 total emissions will be around 500 tonnes.
What will we need
I have space. I have water.
I have trees. From trees come seeds.
Hundreds self generate every year.
With some applied seed collection and management I can produce thousands of 'baby trees'.
We have a good range of native broadleaf trees here ... oak, beech, ash, hazel, hawthorn, elder, wild cherry, willow...
We will use recycled pots collected from other uses, as well as assorted second use containers.
The only thing we will need to ramp up production of will be compost.
What will we do with all the trees
Give them away!
To anyone with a space to plant.
We need more trees.
Everywhere.
[ header graphic by 