Sainsbury’s shows commitment to future generations by planting ‘150 woods’

Sainsbury’s shows commitment to future generations by planting ‘150 woods’

11 December 2019

Sainsbury’s has planted a total of 3.6 million native trees over its 15 year partnership with the Woodland Trust
Sainsbury’s has announced its latest commitment to the Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, by planting ‘150 Woods’ across the UK, during its sesquicentennial year. The pledge forms part of the charity’s MOREwoods initiative, which sets out to preserve and prolong the environment for future generations, by reducing emissions in the atmosphere.

Over the past 15 years, Sainsbury’s has planted a total of 3.6 million trees, as one of The Woodland Trust’s longest standing partners. Each tree is planted to help lock up emissions, spanning a range of different communities and landscapes. The ‘150th Wood’ saw Sainsbury’s plant over 2,300 trees, with over 200,000 planted in total as part of the project.

Sarah Blanford, Crop and Organic Manager for Sainsbury’s, said:
“We’re proud to be a long-standing supporter of the Woodland Trust and are delighted to be marking our anniversary with an initiative that will benefit the communities we serve for years to come. Engaging with our farmers has been a big part of this campaign and our colleagues across the UK have been volunteering with the Woodland Trust, planting trees and supporting with important woodland management tasks.”

The 150 woods collaboration will also mark a 15-year partnership, in Sainsbury’s 150th year. Each wood has been designed by advisors from the Woodland Trust, with carefully selected species selected to maximise environmental and wildlife benefits.

To commemorate the initiative, the ‘150th wood’ was planted in North Somerset on a Sainsbury’s Dairy Development Group farm, by local farmer, Anthony Gotthard. Anthony and his family have been farming for five generations. The creation of the wood will help remove pollutants from the air while preserving the environment for future farming generations.

Dairy farmer, Anthony Gothard, added:
“As a fifth generation dairy farmer with two young sons, I’m passionate about teaching them the value of nature, to ensure that I leave this farm and the environment in a better state than when I took it over. I have always wanted to enhance the landscape for the benefit of people and wildlife. The 2,300 new trees from Sainsbury’s and The Woodland Trust will allow me to do this by planting two small woodlands that will offer shade and shelter for our livestock.”

Mick Bracken, outreach adviser for the Woodland Trust, said:
“There are many benefits of planting trees on farms - trees can stabilise soil, filter water, slow the flow of flood water, provide an additional crop, connect existing habitats and provide a home for wildlife. We’ve chosen a mixture of species for Anthony to suit the soil type and to compliment the natural biodiversity of the area.”