Steyning for Trees

Who are we?
A community group, with small charity status, formed last autumn to help fight climate change by promoting tree planting in Steyning. Our aim is simply to get as many trees as possible planted in Steyning on both private and community land.

What do we do?
We work with individual residents and with various bodies to publicise climate change , find suitable planting locations, source the right trees, carry out planting, and plan for their future care. We work with Parish, District and County councils, the Steyning Society, the Woodland Trust, CPRE (the Countryside Charity), South Downs National Park (SDNP), Sussex Giving, and of course our own committee and private donors.

At the October Farmers’ Market we had a tremendous response when we gave away 225 small saplings for gardens in Steyning and hope to repeat this in the autumn. Working with the Parish Council and the Grammar School, we were about to plant over 400 hedging trees on the Abbey Road green space in April, , with a celebration where Julia Donaldson was due to plant a disease-resistant elm tree kindly given by the SDNP.

Thanks so much to those who have contacted us to say what a beautiful day it would have been, on Good Friday: such a shame after everyone’s hard work.


Now we hope to be able to do this at a later time. The hedging plants are all native species: hazel, crab apple, hawthorn, holly ,goat willow, rowan, blackthorn, common oak, dog rose, dogwood, elder.

Why do we want to plant more trees?
Trees capture the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from the atmosphere and lock up the carbon for many decades thus helping to slow down the rise in global temperature.
 
Planting trees along verges will provide shade and the cooling effect of transpiration from leaves – as well as carbon capture.
 
Planting trees and hedges in Steyning will halt or reverse the catastrophic decline in biodiversity by providing homes for nesting birds , shelter for small animals and invertebrates as well as extending our wildlife corridors.

For us humans, trees engender a feeling of wellbeing : something we are all very conscious of at this time.
 
How you can help
EITHER - by donating £50 you will be able to a buy a tree for us to plant at Abbey Road, as a memorial if wished , and we will match that donation and arrange sourcing and planting.
 
OR -  with a scheme offered by WSCC (County Council) it will plant a tree on a verge near you. £75 will buy you a site assessment, a tree (2-3 metres tall), a stake, planting and protection – plus maintenance. (WSCC charge is £150: we will contribute half: £75). For details see WSCC Donate a Tree Scheme.
 
Are you a professional TREE PLANTER? Can you either help us plant the Abbey Road larger trees or else give us a master class on planting them there? Contact us by email or phone below.

Remember: trees are front-line warriors in the fight against climate change. SteyningForTrees@gmail.com

01903 816726