The Woodland Trust
Working in partnership to restore ancient woodland and upland ecology in the Yorkshire Dales.
In 2022, B&Q signed a new partnership with The Woodland Trust, the UK's largest woodland conservation charity. With our support, the Woodland Trust will restore, protect and plant a new native forest at the charity’s Snaizeholme project in North Yorkshire.
The Woodland Trust will transform the barren, eroded and windswept landscape at Snaizeholme into a unique mosaic of habitats, including establishing England’s largest new native woodland. Through this partnership, we'll help to promote biodiversity, protect threatened species and restore peatlands, which are vital for controlling water flows to reduce flooding risks and reducing the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.
Watch the Woodland Trust's video to hear more about their vision for Snaizeholme valley in North Yorkshire.
Snaizeholme now
Barren, eroded and windswept
A vision for Snaizeholme
The woodland at Carrifran near Moffat in Scotland was planted 20 years ago and is very similar in scale and feel to what The Woodland Trust is planning at Snaizeholme.
Snaizeholme now
Barren, eroded and windswept
A vision for Snaizeholme
The woodland at Carrifran near Moffat in Scotland was planted 20 years ago and is very similar in scale and feel to what The Woodland Trust is planning at Snaizeholme.
Woodland creation is vital to tackling the potentially catastrophic loss of nature. It's not just about planting trees! The work that the Woodland Trust will do at Snaizeholme has the potential to restore an entire ecosystem, could lock up to 58,000 tonnes of carbon for years to come, and help mitigate flooding in the catchment.
Here's how:
-
Encourage biodiversity and protect threatened species – the Woodland Trust will boost biodiversity at a time when the natural world is in crisis. Woodland and wading birds will have a home at Snaizeholme for the first time, and open scrub woodland should attract species like the black grouse. Trees will boost the water quality of the river and beck, safeguarding the resident otters, plus birds such as herons, grey wagtails, dippers and, close to our hearts… Kingfishers
-
Slowing the flow – with a staggering 21 streams running down into Snaizeholme Beck, there's a huge amount of work needed to slow the headlong rush of water downstream during heavy rains. Alongside the Woodland Trust's plans to restore peatland, they'll use leaky dams to slow water flow and trap sediment, all while letting fish and crayfish safely slip through.
-
Restoring peatland – Snaizeholme is home to 250 acres of upland peat bog, which the Woodland Trust is looking to restore as a part of its project in the area – preserving its role as a vibrant natural habitat as well as its CO2 absorbing properties which are vital for the environment as a whole.
Our partnership is another important milestone in our heritage of reducing our impact on the planet.
-
As a founding member of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 1993, we've led the market by establishing sustainable practices around wood and paper, with 98% of our wood and paper products responsibly sourced.
-
In 2017, we banned our suppliers from using neonicotinoid pesticides linked to bee decline in their flowering plant ranges. Products containing glyphosate and metaldehyde have also been discontinued in previous years.
-
In 2022, we went peat-free across our bagged compost range in, and we're continuing to make developments through peat-free product innovations and changes in our supply chain.
How you can support the Woodland Trust
Look out for opportunities to support the Woodland Trust’s campaign to Protect Our Living Legends – ancient trees are living legends, wildlife havens, and carbon stores, but most have no real legal protection. The Woodland Trust wants to change that. Sign the Woodland Trust’s petition to ask the Government to save our oldest and most important trees. #LivingLegends
Take part in the Woodlands Trust's Nature's Calendar to help scientists monitor the effects of weather and climate change on wildlife.
Find and visit your local Woodland Trust woods – there are over 1200 woods in the UK which are all free to visit!
