Schools and community groups in Dorset and Hampshire are so far leading the race to plant more trees in the south of England.

A total of 18,795 trees were sent out to 123 organisations in Hampshire and 13,290 trees to 68 organisations in Dorset as part of the Woodland Trust’s free tree packs scheme.

This compares favourably with 8,175 trees to 65 organisations in Berkshire; 1,335 trees to 10 organisations in Isle of Wight and 10,635 trees to 65 organisations in Oxfordshire.

In this National Tree Week, The Woodland Trust is urging schools and community groups to get their free tree-pack applications in quickly with just over a month left until the spring delivery closes.

Applications for spring, for delivery in March 2023, are currently open, but only until 11 January.

The figures for the south of England were part of a bumper autumn delivery which saw 740,970 saplings finding homes the length and breadth of the UK, bringing the annual total to a record-breaking 1.3m trees for 2022.

Woodland Trust senior project lead Vicki Baddeley said: “With Christmas looming and National Tree Week upon us, now really is a good time to get those applications in and ensure you don’t miss out.

“We still have lots of trees available but with schools breaking up before you know it, and the hectic holiday period around the corner, it makes sense to get organised nice and early and avoid a last-minute rush in early January.

“Planting trees is such a simple action, but the collective impact can make a huge difference. It’s a great way for schoolchildren and community groups to learn about nature and the environment and, at the same time, embrace a “Green Christmas”.

“Planting trees has so many benefits, from combating the effects of climate change, helping support wildlife, to greening up local spaces and boosting well-being.

“The desire to plant trees is growing all the time and I fully expect demand to reflect that in the coming weeks, so I would advise any interested groups to apply sooner rather than later.

“The application process to secure your saplings is quite straightforward, just visit https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/schools-and-communities/ to get started.”

The Trust’s tree packs have been generously funded by lead partners: Sainsbury’s, Lloyds Bank, OVO Energy, Bank of Scotland and Sofology.