As the headlines remind us almost daily, the climate and nature crises are not slowing down. This summer has seen new records broken for extreme weather. Droughts, flooding, and wildfires are now part of the rhythm of our lives. The science is clear: without urgent action, these impacts will deepen, and biodiversity will continue to collapse.
That might feel overwhelming. But here at Make it Wild, we believe local action has never been more important. Every tree, every meadow, every pond, every acre restored is part of the bigger picture. Small steps, taken consistently, add up to real change.
This coming tree planting season will get underway in November, and we are already planning! If all goes according to plan, we hope to plant 15,000 trees across our North Yorkshire sites.
The main woodland creation project for winter 2025/26 will be a large scheme at Low Wood, Smelthouses, where we are awaiting final approval from Natural England. The Woodland Trust have been supporting the preliminary surveys and consultations. So far everything is looking favourable. We will be creating a wide variation of habitats, by varying the species and density of the trees.
We will also be adding to our hazel coppice at Bank Woods, as well as adding hazels to areas of the ancient woodlands there, where we have cleared some of the excess holly. This will create a more biodiverse understorey to the woods, benefitting birds and small mammals, as well as allowing more light to the woodland floor which supports woodland flowers, like our iconic English bluebells.
Our Chop Gate site in the North Yorks Moors National Park will be the location of a new woodland sponsored by the Buddhist community, in honour of the Dalai Lama.
We will be adding scrub planting at Skipbridge, to complement the wetland creation project there.
At Sylvan, we planted 20,000 trees in 2011. Around 5% of these were ash trees, which sadly have succumbed to ash die-back, so we will be replanting some areas with significant losses, with oak trees instead.
Over the Pennines, we are hopeful that our new land-owner partner site, Cockshouse Farm near Rochdale will receive good news from the Woodland Trust about all the surveys and consultations. We have plans for a large woodland creation scheme there.
For businesses, the message from government and the market is the same: climate risk is business risk. Customers, staff, and investors expect companies to be serious about their environmental impact. Net zero targets are no longer optional.
Yet offsetting carbon is not just about numbers on a balance sheet. It is about credibility. Choosing to support local, nature-first projects means you are investing in landscapes that your team and community can see, visit, and trust. Our woodlands are positioned around the UK, transparent, and managed for biodiversity as well as carbon capture.
Supporting these projects allows businesses to:
We know governments alone will not solve the climate and biodiversity crises. Progress is slow, policies shift, and nature continues to decline. That is why local action matters so much. Each tree planted here in the UK is a commitment to a different future: one where carbon is stored, wildlife thrives, and communities have wild spaces to enjoy.
Our goal this season is ambitious: 15,000 trees. With your support, we can get there.
If you are a business looking to make a measurable, local contribution towards net zero, or an individual who wants to dedicate trees to loved ones, now is the time.
👉 You can start by using our carbon calculator…
Together, we can make the next 15,000 trees a reality.
