The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) and Humber Forest kicked off National Tree Week in style at Pickering Park, Hull, marking the 50th anniversary of this nationwide celebration of trees.
Emma Hardy, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice, joined TCV Chair Jon Towler, volunteers, and local partners Rewilding Youth, and ScrapStore for a day of tree planting and family-friendly activities.
Emma Hardy MP planted a commemorative tree and shared her support for the initiative:
“The Conservation Volunteers do a fantastic job, and I’m honoured to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of National Tree Week with them. This tree I’m planting represents a very small part of the work TCV do in helping to create the Humber Forest, which is one of 15 Community Forests in England funded through the Defra Trees for Climate programme. It’s part of a £1 billion investment in tree planting which will increase biodiversity and bring nature closer to everyone in and around our largest towns and cities.”
The event offered opportunities for volunteers to plant trees and take part in engaging indoor and outdoor activities for children, reinforcing the importance of community involvement in environmental projects.
For several years, TCV has been a key delivery partner for Humber Forest, driving large-scale tree planting across the Humber region each winter. Together, their impact has been significant:
- 5 years as a key delivery partner for Humber Forest
- 250,000 trees planted across the region
- Active care for 150+ tree planting and woodland creation sites
- Nearly 12 miles of hedgerow established
- Engagement with 600 volunteers, with 98% rating their experience as Good or Excellent
This collaboration is helping to create the Humber Forest, part of a national effort to expand green spaces, improve biodiversity, and bring nature closer to communities.
Leah Cave, Humber Forest partnership manager said:
“We’re proud of the fantastic work undertaken in growing the Humber Forest and are grateful to TCV and all partners in helping us plant record numbers of trees and hedgerows. We look forward to continuing to grow the Humber Forest, across the region, and encourage interested volunteers to find out more about how they can be involved.“
