Coolstays supported the planting of 800 climate resilient trees across the UK in 2021 - 2022.

Climate resilient treescapes for the future have been created across the UK thanks to support from Coolstays. In partnership with GreenTheUK and the Royal Forestry Society, these trees have been planted in Devon and North Yorkshire. In this report, learn more about the plans for the individual sites and interesting facts about the species planted at each. Separate reports will follow for the other fantastic work Coolstays is supporting in partnership with GreenTheUK.

Thanks to the Coolstays team, these trees will increase each woodland’s resilience to pests, diseases and/or climate change. The sites will transform into habitats where our local wildlife can flourish. Improving biodiversity and carbon sequestration are key benefits of this scheme.

Tree Species Planted:

400 Trees planted in Devon, England

Gum trees grow incredibly fast (usually about 1m or more every year in their first few years) which makes them very efficient at capturing carbon from the atmosphere and locking it away quickly. Timber from these trees can be used to make beautiful wooden flooring and furniture. This rapid carbon capture and storage is a brilliant weapon to use in our fight against climate change.

48 Trees Planted

Alpine Ash: Eucalyptus Delegatensis

Alpine ash comes from south-eastern Australia, where it is also known as “woollybutt”. This tree has rough, greyish- black bark on the lower half of its trunk, while the top half is smooth and light in colour, making for a striking contrast. With enough time and space, the eucalyptus delegatensis can grow to a height of around 90m, making it one of the tallest tree species in the world.

24 Trees Planted

Mountain Gum: Eucalyptus Dalrympleana

Mountain gum originates from Australia, where it grows in woodlands and forests all over the country. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, this tall, hardy, fast-growing tree fares best in sunny conditions here in the UK, where it can grow to a height of 40m! It has smooth, light-coloured bark and produces little yellow flowers which grow in clusters of three.

280 Trees Planted

Shining Gum: Eucalyptus Nitens

Native to the mountains of New South Wales in Australia, the shining gum grows very quickly and needs a lot of light to thrive. Don’t let this large tree’s tropical origins fool you, the shining gum can actually withstand sub-zero temperatures, which means it also grows well in some parts of the UK. Its light-coloured wood has hints of pale pink and yellow, making it a popular choice for furniture and flooring.

48 Trees Planted

Southern Blue Gum: Eucalyptus Globulus subsp. Bicostata

This tree is hugely prevalent across Australia and Tasmania, but also grows well in other countries with Mediterranean climates. The southern blue gum tree grows quickly: its hard yellow-brown timber is versatile and can be used for things like fence posts and flooring. If you’ve ever used eucalyptus oil to ward off the symptoms of a cold, this is where it originates from: the oil is steam distilled from the southern blue gum’s leaves.

400 Trees planted in North Yorkshire, England

In this innovative project in North Yorkshire the owners are converting a spruce plantation to a diverse mix of tree species to build in resilience against climate change, help protect against pests and diseases and improve the woodland for local wildlife.

11 Trees Planted

Alder: Alnus Glutinosa

Alder can be found across Europe and thrives in moist ground and damp cool areas, which is why you’ll often see alder trees planted near rivers and ponds. Moth caterpillars love alder leaves and the tree’s roots make an ideal nesting site for otters. For humans, the real value of alder wood is that it’s durable when wet, so is useful for making boats and sluice gates. The story goes that outlaws like Robin Hood would have used the green dye from alder flowers to camouflage their clothing!

2 Trees Planted

Coast Redwood: Sequoia Sempervirens

Coast redwoods are amongst the oldest living things on Earth, with some dating back over 2,000 years. This giant of the forest can grow to over 100m tall with a trunk around 9m thick. Older coast redwoods are remarkably fire resistant because they have very thick bark which acts as a protective shell; an important quality in this tree’s native California, where forest fires are often a threat.

35 Trees Planted

Douglas Fir: Pseudotsuga Menziesii

Douglas fir was first introduced to the UK from North America in the 1800s. These fragrant evergreen members of the pine family can live for up to 1,000 years, but are often cut down for use as Christmas trees. Douglas fir timber has lots of commercial uses, including furniture, flooring and decking, for example.

14 Trees Planted

Downy Birch: Betula Pubescens

The downy birch, or white birch, is a deciduous, broad- leafed tree which grows abundantly across the north of Europe and northern Asia. The outer bark can be stripped off without killing the tree, and its twigs and branches are flexible and make good brooms. The Sami people in Scandinavia use downy birch bark when making their traditional bread, while the tree’s sap can be collected in early spring and used to make a syrup or beer.

107 Trees Planted

English Oak: Quercus Robur

Also known as the common or English oak, this is the undisputed king of the woods, supporting more wildlife species than any other native tree in the UK. “Robur” in this oak’s Latin name means “strength” and “hard timber” because this tree produces incredibly durable wood which can be used to make many things, including furniture and flooring. The oak has been considered sacred by many gods in mythology throughout the ages.

3 Trees Planted

Giant Redwood: Sequoiadendron Giganteum

These majestic trees can live for over 3,000 years and are very resistant to pests and diseases because they have tannin in their bark. Their bark is also spongy which makes them fire resistant; in fact they need heat to reproduce, as it opens up their cones and helps their seeds to disperse. The largest giant redwood in the world is named “General Sherwood” and stands over 84m tall and 11m wide in the Sequoia National Park in California.

5 Trees Planted

Hazel: Corylus Avellana

The common hazel is native to Europe and western Asia and forms an important part of England’s hedgerows. We have all heard of hazelnuts, which are rich in unsaturated fats and protein, and an extremely popular ingredient in many of the world’s cuisines. Did you know that hazel trees were once seen as both magical and a symbol of fertility?

10 Trees Planted

Norway Spruce: Picea Abies

This fast-growing evergreen conifer can live for as long as 1000 years and grows to a height of up to 40m. It has red-brown cones, which are the largest of any spruce tree. In 1848, Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert introduced the custom of decorating a Norway spruce for Christmas, and it has been a popular festive tree choice in the UK ever since.

6 Trees Planted

Rowan: Sorbus Aucuparia

Also known as the mountain ash, rowan trees grow well at high altitudes and are commonly found in the Scottish Highlands, as well as on streets and in gardens across the UK. Many birds eat their scarlet berries in the autumn, then disperse the seeds. Rowan used to be planted next to homes to ward off the threat of witches, as red was once believed to guard against evil.

101 Trees Planted

Scots Pine: Pinus Sylvestris

The UK’s only truly native pine is Scotland’s national tree and can be found in abundance in the Highlands. The Caledonian Pine Forest is home to all sorts of wonderful species including the pine marten, red squirrel and rare Scottish wildcat. Scots pine has strong timber which is used for making fences, telegraph poles and other construction materials, and the bark can be tapped for resin to make turpentine.

12 Trees Planted

Silver Birch: Betula Pendula

The silver birch is an elegant, majestic-looking tree which can survive in a range of climates, making it a very popular choice for gardeners. It attracts hundreds of insect species, and woodpeckers like to nest in its rough, tough, silver-white trunk. There is a lot of mythology attached to the silver birch, which is said to symbolise purity, new beginnings and protection. Once upon a time, on Midsummer’s Eve, silver birch boughs were hung across the doors of houses to bring good luck to their residents.

87 Trees Planted

Sitka Spruce: Picea Sitchensis

Sitka is by far the largest species of spruce, growing to nearly 100m tall with a trunk up to 5m thick. This majestic tree is named after a city in southern Alaska but makes up around half of commercial plantation here in the UK. Sitka timber has all sorts of uses, including making boats and paper. It is also used in the manufacture of violins, guitars, pianos and harps, as it conducts sound well.

3 Trees Planted

Small-Leaved Lime: Tilia Cordata

Its heart-shaped leaves may be small, but this tree is large and sturdy, growing to around 20m tall. Lime wood is used to make piano keys, and its bark can be made into rope. During rationing in World War Two, people made an infusion from crushed lime leaves as a substitute for tea, which was tricky to get hold of.

4 Trees Planted

Wild Cherry: Prunus Avium

Stunning white cherry blossoms burst forth in April, heralding the arrival of spring and bringing joy to parks and gardens. Mature cherry trees can live for up to 60 years, and provide a great source of food for birds, bees, insects and small animals like badgers and mice. Our ancestors would boil wild cherries and make them into a syrup to treat a range of ailments including coughs and anaemia.