LRG supported the planting of 4,000 climate resilient trees across the UK in 2024-25
LRG is proud to be working in partnership with GreenTheUK and the Royal Forestry Society (RFS) to plant climate-resilient trees across the UK’s woodlands. This collaborative initiative brings together the RFS’ 140+ years of forestry expertise and GreenTheUK’s community-driven approach to ensure every tree planted contributes to a wider, lasting environmental legacy.
The RFS is a leader in sustainable woodland management. With deep-rooted knowledge passed down through generations, they understand that healthy, thriving woodlands depend not only on the trees we plant, but how we care for them. Our woodlands are managed with both climate and biodiversity in mind.
This partnership is helping to strengthen the resilience of UK woodlands against pests, diseases, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. Increasingly frequent extreme weather events including floods, droughts and storms are placing additional stress on trees. Weaker trees are far more vulnerable to disease and pests. By planting a broader mix of tree species, including some non-native and naturalised varieties, we improve the overall health and adaptability of woodland ecosystems, giving them a better chance of survival in the face of climate change.

While native species are brilliant for biodiversity, we simply don’t have enough of them to ensure resilient sustainable woods and trees for the future. Many of our native tree species are under threat from new and existing pests and diseases. That’s why diversifying our woodlands is key. If we plant a wide variety of tree species (both native and non-native) we will help to ensure that at least some species will survive future threats. Tree cover habitats will be maintained and our native wildlife will have new and existing trees that they can depend on. Encouragingly, species like red squirrels have already adapted to living in some non-native conifer woodlands because of the ample food supply their cones provide. According to the Forestry Statistics 2024, woodland cover in the UK now stands at 13.5%, with 20,660 hectares of new woodland created in 2023/24, a positive step toward the government’s target of 30,000 hectares annually. With support from businesses like LRG, we can help ensure that number continues to grow each year.
Expanding woodland cover plays a vital role in tackling climate change. Woodlands store an estimated 4,000 million tonnes of carbon in the UK alone, according to the Save Our Wild Isles campaign. Beyond carbon capture, trees help stabilise soils with their extensive root systems, reduce flood risk by intercepting rainfall with their canopies, and improve water retention in the ground. Some trees can even signal distress through chemical messaging when under attack, giving nearby trees a chance to defend themselves, a remarkable form of natural resilience.
Yet despite all this, the UK remains the second-largest importer of wood products in the world, much of it for use as biofuel. Relying on imports not only undermines our green credentials, but also increases the risk of introducing new pests and diseases to our woodlands.
That’s why responsible, UK-based tree planting guided by expert partners, like the Royal Forestry Society and GreenTheUK, is so important. It’s about planting the right trees, in the right places, and caring for them in the right way so our woodlands can thrive for generations to come.
Tree Species Planted:
2,600 trees planted in Leicestershire
This woodland was planted with poplar trees in the 1990s but sadly they are suffering from disease. The affected trees have been felled (to prevent spread of the disease to other poplars in the area) and have been replaced by a diverse mixture of broadleaves and conifers. The new woodland will be cared for to ensure a supply of chip wood and firewood for the local community. The different types of trees planted will also help to increase biodiversity.
500 trees planted in Northamptonshire
This woodland was dominated by ash, which has had to be removed due to succumbing to Ash dieback, a serious tree disease that kills its host. Native and non-native trees have been replanted to increase diversity within this woodland. Improved biodiversity because of the variety of tree species, along with aquatic habitats can be enjoyed by the public who can walk alongside this woodland and take in the landscape.
300 trees planted in Hertfordshire
Replanting after a compartment of mature larch and diseased ash was felled, this project aims to both add resilience to the woodland by stocking it with a more diverse mix of tree species and to maintain the ancient semi-natural beech woodland that currently exists. As this wood has public access, maintaining the woods in a safe condition is a priority, as is conserving some of the heritage and cultural features of the woods as an attractive landscape feature.
100 trees planted in London
This hedgerow planting project in London will improve the landscape through increased canopy cover, enhance biodiversity and foster community engagement. The local community played an essential role in shaping this project through consultation and expressed that by enhancing green spaces and opportunities for active participation it would benefit their mental and public health. This is a mix of thorny species, such as hawthorn, holly, blackthorn and dog rose, and non-thorny species such as hazel, sweet chestnut, elder and goat willow. This was a decision based on community feedback and council preferences.
500 trees planted in Merseyside
This project demonstrates multi-purpose forestry, managing it for both wildlife and timber production. A felled pine plantation covered with a dense layer of bracken, this project aims to restore the pine woodland and introduce a mix of broadleaf trees and shrub species to create graded edges and understory layer. Having a diverse structure within a woodland offers a wider range of habitats for wildlife and makes the woodland more resilient to pests and disease.

UN's Sustainable Development Goals
As a GreenTheUK partner, you support projects that are in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.