Incredible 100,000 new trees to be planted in Harrogate district

Run by husband and wife team, Christopher and Helen Neave, Make It Wild was first launched in 2011 with 26-acres of rough pasture between Harrogate and York at Kirk Hammerton, where the couple aimed to kickstart biodiversity and create a space that would entice wildlife

The firm has since acquired several further sites in the Nidderdale countryside at Summerbridge, including 111 acres at Bank Woods and a 44-acre neighbouring site known as Dowgill Grange.

Working with The Woodland Trust and The Forestry Commission, Make It Wild has already planted more than 16,000 trees across both sites and earlier this year Bank Woods was designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation.

While still currently planting tens of thousands more trees across the local countryside. it is now setting an ambitious target of growing 100,000 new trees in the next eight years.

And the company has now launched a range of flexible partnership opportunities for local businesses, across all industries, as well as individuals, which enables them to sponsor individual trees and sections of woodland, as well as taking monthly subscriptions.

Harrogate funeral service, Full Circle Funerals, is one of many local businesses taking advantage of the opportunity and is paying for a tree to be planted for every family it supports whilst off-setting the carbon of its funerals.

Make It Wild's Helen Neave said: “We started out with the simple aim of doing something to tackle climate change and creating more wild space to help combat the impact that humans are having on the planet, which is squeezing wildlife out of its natural habitat.

"Since 1970, earth has lost 60% of its wildlife, largely due to habitat loss, so we decided to create more wild space, including trees, meadows and ponds, where wildlife can thrive.

“It’s been a big success and we’ve already planted more than 36,000 trees. We plan to grow this to 100,000 by 2028, which will form a major part of the Northern Forest initiative.

"We are confident we can achieve this target and our sponsorship packages are now proving popular with forward thinking businesses, like Full Circle Funerals, that are committed to their green credentials and contributing responsibly to the natural environment."

Full Circle Funerals operates sites in Harrogate, Guiseley, Bramley and Halifax and has pioneered a range of industry leading and eco-friendly innovations, including becoming the first UK funeral service outside London to offer an electric eco-hearse, to complement its traditional fleet of funeral vehicles.

Families supported by Full Circle then also have the option to plant a named memorial tree, in addition to the tree already paid for by the funeral service.

Make It Wild’s carbon offsetting for businesses is available in multiples of 10.

The company maps its sites using drone photography so clients can see exactly which trees and areas they are sponsoring.

The company also sells a range of eco-friendly and zero waste products on its website at www.makeitwild.co.uk

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