Our first 4,200-tree Future Woodlands Programme project is underway as volunteers help create a greener area for an Aberdeen community.

Armed with trees, spades and plenty of scarves to keep warm, bp volunteers, Aberdeen City Council rangers and our own programme managers enjoyed working together to create a fairer, greener and healthier environment for locals.

In a single day in late November, the team planted 1,800 trees, with the rest to be placed next year. The new planting will help to create an integrated woodland habitat that will be accessible by residents of Aberdeen and nearby towns, as well as visitors from further afield.

Helping farmers and land managers across Scotland

The initiative is a collaboration with Aberdeen City Council to grow more than 4,000 trees in Riverview Park and are the first trees to be planted as part of our Future Woodlands Programme. We launched the fund in March with £2million of support from energy company bp to help farmers and land managers across Scotland to plant new native woodlands.

Tim Hall, Future Woodlands Scotland Chair, said: “This project will help to expand the woodland habitat in the area and play a role in mitigating carbon emissions. It’s a brilliant example of how different organisations can work together to achieve the common goal of helping to tackle climate change using a nature-based approach.”

An important corridor for wildlife

This new woodland is an early contribution to the delivery of Aberdeen City Council’s Climate Change Plan to reduce target emissions and also help people get closer to nature in their local area. Earlier in the year, more than 100 people gave an overwhelmingly positive response to the tree-planting proposal.  

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen, Barney Crockett, said: “It’s fantastic that the first of the trees for Riverview Park have been planted as it is an important corridor for wildlife and is also a well-used greenspace.”

If you manage a farm or land and are interested in planting native woodland, email: [email protected]