An environmental charity in Stroud achieved a 'tree-mendous' feat in a bid to boost biodiversity and carbon capture last winter, planting more than 19,000 trees in just one season.
Stroud Valleys Project (SVP), which works with communities to create and improve green spaces and protect habitats for nature, plants trees every year in line with national and regional targets, in a variety of locations across the district.
In 2022-23, the team of staff and volunteers planted 6,000 trees and hedgerow plants and in 2023-24, they planted 8,500; but between November 2024 to March 2025, the team, along with members of the public, planted an 'astonishing' 19,139 trees.
The charity says the carefully chosen trees will provide homes for birds, small mammals and invertebrates; reduce soil erosion and flooding; and capture carbon from the atmosphere.
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.
The charity's CEO, Clare Mahdiyone, said: 'We’re incredibly proud of all the trees we’ve planted throughout Stroud and the surrounding towns and villages.
'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.
Clare added: '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 each specific ecosystem, and we also plant plenty of hedgerow, which is vital to vary natural habitats and create a sustainable green corridor.'
