Seend - Avon Needs Trees' Second Land Purchase

Why Reforest?

Almost all of the woodland in the Bristol-Avon catchment area has disappeared over the last few centuries. This is disastrous for many reasons but perhaps most pressingly because trees are essential for tackling climate change. Trees take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and protect the valuable, carbon-rich soil beneath. By growing thousands of new trees we can take a significant step in the battle against climate disaster.

Reforesting the Bristol-Avon catchment area has multiple other benefits. It will provide natural flood management which is much more cost-effective than engineered flood defences. All of the towns and cities in the area, including Melksham, Chippenham, Bath, Bradford-on-Avon and Bristol are greatly at risk of flooding, particularly as climate change advances. Careful planting will also help enhance biodiversity and protect our water quality by reducing nitrogen run off. In addition, land acquired will have open access to the public, providing valuable public space.

Why Buy Land?

We believe buying the land is the only way to guarantee that new forest is permanent. Asking land owners to voluntarily make these changes does not provide long term, guaranteed results.

What is Avon Needs Trees? 

Avon Needs Trees is a registered charity (Charity No. 1184386) that is buying land throughout the Bristol-Avon catchment area to create new, permanent forest by planting and rewilding.

In August 2020 we completed the purchase of our first piece of land - 34 acres at Hazeland, between Chippenham and Calne.

We are supported by The Environment Agency, The Woodland Trust, The Bristol-Avon Rivers Trust, the local Wildlife Trust and local Friends of the Earth groups.

What's Special About the Land at Seend?

This is a site where we can really add value. There are extensive mature hedgerows, standing dead wood and two natural pond areas. The land rolls down to the Kennet and Avon canal. The grass is not species rich and therefore very suitable for tree planting.

The land is already crossed by public footpaths and we look forward to making this a real community asset. We plan to plant a large woodland of native broadleafs and a substantial community orchard. We will leave meadow alongside the canal and create a flower-rich, accessible viewing point.

Full ecological studies have been commissioned but we already have anecdotal evidence of a decline in bird species in the area. The good news is that neighbours to this land have already begun tree planting and so our plans will build on their work, creating a substantial nature reserve.

What We Need Now

Our bid of £175,000 has been accepted and the vendor is giving us six months to raise the money. We already have funds we can put towards this purchase, but we still need your help. 

Donations big and small demonstrate public engagement and support for our work, which helps us access bigger sources of funding.

So if you would like to support the creation of more woodland that will benefit the entire region, would like to support a local charity, and / or have carbon sins you want to offset, please consider contributing to our target. All donations are gratefully received and will go directly towards this purchase. We hope that all supporters will come and visit the land and get involved with tree planting. 

Please also share our campaign with your friends, family, neighbours and other networks.

Thank you for your support!