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Plant trees with your school

Grow an outdoor classroom. Create homes for wildlife. Fight climate change. When your pupils plant trees they’ll make a real difference to everyone.

Pupils from Ecclesfield School ready to plant trees in their school grounds.

Credit: Jill Jennings / WTML

Tree planting is a hands-on way for kids to help the environment.

Credit: Judith Parry / WTML

By planting trees you'll help wildlife, people and the planet.

Credit: Judith Parry / WTML

Planting trees is a great way to improve your school grounds.

Credit: Phil Formby / WTML

Tree planting is fun for all ages!

Credit: Judith Parry / WTML

Ready, steady, grow!

Muddy boots. Big smiles. A child never forgets the thrill of planting their first tree. That’s why we offer free trees to schools, so every child in the UK has the chance to plant their own.

Free tree packs for schools

  • Choose from 15, 30, 105 or 420 saplings.
  • Packs are delivered in tree-planting season – either March or November.
  • You can apply each season until your project is complete.
  • All trees are carefully-selected native species, homegrown in the UK.

Tree-planting resources

In addition to your free trees, we provide lots of support to help your school get the most out of the experience. This includes help planning your project, handy tips for planting day and advice on how to care for your trees as they grow.

99%

of teachers recommend planting a Woodland Trust tree pack.

Based on feedback from 128 schools that responded to our survey about planting one of our tree packs.

>> Tana: I'm Tana Holmes and I've been running the Garden Club at St John's Primary school in Edinburgh. We've just moved into a new building and we've received some trees from the Woodland Trust which we've been planting today.  

So what we find is, the soil at St John's, the clay is really tough. Can you see? If I hold it there and you could maybe fill in the compost around it - and it's much easier for the little roots to grow through that stuff. Do you feel like you’re ready to plant some yourself? 

We were able to apply for some trees from the Woodland Trust and had a huge number of trees delivered. They’re tiny little whips so they're actually really easy to plant. We've used some trees to plant for sort of single larger specimens and we've used others that we've made into hedges. 

So what job does the worm do Michael?  

>> Michael: Does it eat the soil and then when it poos it out it’s good for the soil? 

>> Tana: Yeah, and that’s new super soil! 

They’ve been watching Newsround about climate change so have seen that planting trees is a good thing and they're also interested in the idea that you can plant something that has a life that's longer than yours. 

>> Felipe: The oak trees are very special because they live up for a longer time than normal trees - like birch for example. 

>> Amelia: We breathe out carbon dioxide but the trees breathe in the carbon dioxide and then recycle it and make it into oxygen. When people drive their cars all the fuel comes out of the back and then when the trees breathe, then they breathe out your fresh air. 

>> Felipe: It helps battle climate change and it saves our earth. 

>> Tana: I think over the last year children have become much more aware of climate change and sometimes I think they can feel quite overwhelmed with the magnitude of the problem. So it's great that they've been able to plant trees today which is like a small practical step which actually has positive impacts for years and years to come. So it's been great that they've been able to be involved in that.

Muddy good fun

We’ve helped schools plant five million trees across the UK.

The benefits of planting trees in schools

Tree planting is an incredible way for youngsters to connect with nature while helping the planet. It links to many areas of the curriculum and it’s a fun, hands-on project for gardening and eco clubs. Planting trees also improves your school grounds, whether you’re creating a wildlife area or planting a hedge.

And when you plant trees you make a difference to your whole school and the wider community too:

  • Green spaces improve physical and mental health.
  • Trees and hedges provide homes and food for wildlife.
  • Trees clean the air we breathe.
  • Trees absorb CO2 – one of the main causes of climate change.
  • Your trees will become a legacy that future pupils will enjoy.

It's the best fun I've ever had!

James, aged 8

How to claim your points

Your school can earn two points when you apply for your first tree pack.

To claim your points, send us a photo of your trees being planted. You can also tell us about your planting event and share your pupils' comments.

Email learning@woodlandtrust.org.uk with the subject line 'We've planted our trees'.

We’ll add two points to your account after we receive your evidence (usually within two weeks).

How we use quotes and photos

We like to use comments and photos from schools to inspire other teachers and young people about outdoor learning. With your permission, they could appear on our Award materials, website, press releases and social media.

You can find out more about how we use and look after your personal information in our privacy policy.

Permissions

If you're happy for us to share your quotes and photos as outlined above, please include the following permission statements in your email:

  • We confirm we have permission from the photographer to submit these photos and use them for the purposes stated.
  • We confirm we have permission from pupils' parents/guardians to share their photos, comments and names and use them for the purposes stated.

If you'd rather we didn't share them, please include the following statement in your email:

  • We would prefer that our photos and comments are not used for the purposes stated.
Girl holding oak saplings for tree planting at Heartwood Forest, November 2017

Apply for free trees

Our tree packs come in different themes and sizes, so your pupils can plant a hedge, help wildlife, or even grow their own fruit.

Choose your tree pack

More ideas for schools