Community tree-planting events in Sussex

Aim

Donate to restore nature and plant at least 1,000 trees with the community in Sussex

Who are we, and what is our project about?

Forests Without Frontiers restores and celebrates nature with the help of music and arts. Collaborating with local people and partners, we focus on tree planting, monitoring, maintenance and community events integrated with the arts. Whilst engaging people creatively, we regenerate local landscapes and inspire climate action across the UK and Europe for future generations, with deep roots in Sussex, our home base. Since 2019, we’ve planted over 220,000 trees in UK and Romania.

This spring we aim to plant over a 1,000 new native mixed-species trees to restore degraded land at Westerlands Farm (near Petworth) in Sussex and we need your help! Sussex is currently a fragmented landscape and the Westerlands site is part of the South Downs National Park and forms part of the Weald to Waves initiative, which aims to create a network of contiguous habitat from the High Weald to the coast. Restoring nature is one of the most important things we can do to help the climate and biodiversity crisis - and being in nature is hugely beneficial for our mental health too. 

Join us on 13th and 14th March for family and community days of tree-planting and nature connection. These events are for individuals and businesses and on the 14th of March for families. There will be talks, lunch and local folk music, with limited places available.

Any amount is welcome but we suggest a minimum of £20 donation to individuals (£15 for concessions or £25 pay it forward) or £50pp for businesses to cover one of these days (double if you wish to attend both events). You can book your place through this campaign (please specify which ones you want to attend) or you can just donate to support the tree planting and tending. Email us on [email protected] for more details or with any questions. 

Why are we crowdfunding?

This funding will help us organise and host two community tree-planting events at Westerlands Farm in Sussex and support other tree tending days and plantings in Sussex.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world, and we have lost many of the cultural traditions, songs and tales that link our lives to nature. At the same time, our young people are suffering a major crisis in mental health. Many lack access to wild nature, which is known to be of great benefit to our overall health and wellbeing. This is why engaging local communities is integral to our tree planting and tending events, connecting people with the landscape and inspiring them to be its custodians over the long term.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Funds raised will go towards the planting of responsibly-grown saplings (hawthorne, dog rose, field maple, oak, hazel, rowan, crabapple, blackthorne and willow). Funds will also make the events accessible, through the provision of free transport from Sussex hubs. It will include the provision of food grown locally and prepared by local suppliers, boosting the local economy and reducing food miles. Free place for young people or those on low income will be made available. We will invite local artists to perform Sussex folk music inspired by the landscape. We believe in supporting local artists and recognise that our ecological and cultural heritage are interconnected and interdependent. 

We believe in a whole ecosystem approach to landscape restoration - supporting trees and forests, wildlife and people, music and art – all at once.

Here is a video from our past tree planting events: 

How you can help

There are three simple ways to get involved and support our project:

1. Make a donation

Every pledge gets us closer to our goal. Early support can help build momentum and inspire others to give too.

2. Spread the word

Share our project with friends, family and your wider network. The more people we reach, the more likely we are to succeed.

3. Volunteer with us

If you’d like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch through the ‘Contact’ section using the subject "I want to volunteer my time or expertise" on our project page.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made