In 2020, Willmott Dixon announced an ambitious target to plant 100,000 trees in the UK by 2030. December 2021 saw Willmott Dixon Interiors kick off our contribution to the target by planting 720 trees to create an urban forest in Bramley, Leeds. With the help of our people, supply chain, customer, and community volunteers we went on to plant over 2,600 trees in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and North London by March 2022.
Partnering with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) tapped into over 60 years of conservation experience connecting people with nature. TCV worked with local stakeholders to ensure maximum impact and lasting outcomes for the environment and communities.
We planted a blend of traditional and Miyawaki planting. Using the Miyawaki method we planted a densely planted mini forest in a residential area of the London Borough of Waltham Forest. It will grow into a thriving ecosystem to be enjoyed by biodiversity and the local community.
Between December 2021 and March 2022…
- 2,642 trees planted
- Over 18 different native species
- 335 volunteer hours
- Over 56 volunteers attended across the 5 events
- X4 customers directly engaged (local authorities and HEFE)
- X15 supply chain and consultants engaged
What attendees enjoyed most:
- Teamwork
- Making a difference to the community and environment
- Being outside
- Spending time with colleagues and getting to know others
- The camaraderie
Reflections:
Planting in multiple locations enabled maximum engagement and impact. WDI people from across London and the Midlands had the opportunity to volunteer and benefit from meeting new people. We were able to work with various local authorities, supply chain partners, communities and customers.
Looking ahead:
We look forward to returning to our planting to watch progress and watch our trees thrive. A focus on biodiversity net gain and expanding our activities beyond tree planting, such as planting for pollinators, hedgerow creation and installing wildlife homes, will enable us to have an even bigger impact on the biodiversity local to our projects.
Click here to watch our video for more information.