Trees have many benefits. They produce oxygen and absorb carbon, helping to mitigate the affects of global warming. Trees improve the environment through protecting the soil, regulating and purifying water and providing wildlife habits and they improve the quality of life for us all.

But there can be a lack of awareness around the state of our woodland and forests here in the UK. According to The Woodland Trust’s first report into the current state of the UK’s native woods and trees, “The UK’s woodland cover has more than doubled in the last 100 years, but much of this is non-native trees. Existing native woodlands are isolated, in poor ecological condition and there has been a decline in woodland wildlife.”

The report also outlines the threats to our woodland from imported diseases, invasive plants, air pollutants and other climate impacts.

The Woodland Trust’s report provides a four-point action plan to improve the UK’s woodland for the future generation, the first of which is a call to expand tree cover, increasing native species.

Sandland Packaging have been investing in woodland creation for over 3 years, planting one tree for every 5 orders manufactured through One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focused on global re-forestation. As an environmental charity, it’s OTP’s mission to make it simple for individuals and businesses to help the environment by planting trees.  

Recently we switched to investing in a UK-based project.

Sandland Packaging is now investing in the ‘England 2024 – Essex Forest Initiative’ operated by One Tree Planted. This project involves planting 100,000 trees from November 2023 – March 2024 in a variety of sites across Essex. The requirements will vary across the sites and include the creation of wet woodland (a UK priority habitat) on river floodplains and connectivity across forests.

It’s essential these projects plant native trees: including Pedunculate/Common Oak, Downy Birch, Hazel, Hawthorn, Small-leaved lime, Rowan, Silver Birch, Common Alder, Aspen, Goat Willow, Field Maple, Hornbeam, Beech, and Blackthorn.

We’re committed to reducing our impact on the environment – supporting tree planting is just part of this. We are fully CarbonNeutral through measuring and offsetting ALL carbon emissions across Scope 1 and 2 and all 15 categories in Scope 3. We are also certified to FSC.

To find out how to make your packaging more sustainable, get in touch.