FIELDS TO FORESTS PROJECT

Fields to Forests Project is a community and environmental driven not for profit project, to fund and facilitate tree planting for carbon sequestration and creation of wildlife habitats on farmland. This project has come about as a solution to the red tape and issues that farmers face in trying to make environmental efforts. 

Farmers are the custodians of our beautiful country and this project is a unique way of creating a real link and a positive movement between farmers and the general public, without preventative bureaucracy that inhibits environmental efforts on farmland.

As you know, we are in the grip of a climate change emergency. We have also lost large areas of habitats on farms that used to support wildlife and bee populations, soils are critically depleted and as we all know, carbon emissions are spiralling. The British Isles are one of the least forested areas in Europe and as land owners, farmers are in the unique position to do something about this.

The aim is not necessarily to plant trees on cultivatable land, but to plant trees and let them grow to maturity (40 years) in areas of farmer’s property where it is not desirable to cultivate or graze animals. This may be because the land is too steep to safely cultivate, where it is desirable to create shelter from wind, to stabilise soil and reduce topsoil run off, on small unused sections of land or simply if the farmer wants to regenerate the land and lacks funds.

Each tree will cost £12, to buy, plant and manage in the years to come, this equates to approximately 1 tonne of carbon sequestered by the time it reaches maturity. Starting at Cusgarne Organic Farm in Cornwall, we have committed to plant 500 trees and if this crowd fund campaign is successful, we will then be in a position to roll out the program to other farms.

HOW WE WORK

Your money will pay for the sapling, its planting and provide resources/guidance for future woodland management. You can decide how much carbon you want to offset by how much you donate. Our team is made up of paid staff, contractors and volunteers. 

To achieve the aims above, we believe in planting a mix of trees. The largest as possible to sequester as much carbon as possible, mostly native to the UK, some flowering and some nut and fruit bearing to provide food for wildlife. We wont plant conifers or trees that currently have issues with disease in the UK.

In 40 years time, when the trees have reached maturity, the farmer will either leave the woodland as it is, or will return the land to growing food once again.