Landowners in North Somerset are being urged to come forward with plots that could be used for planting new woodlands.
Bristol-based charity Avon Needs Trees is appealing for help to find its next piece of land for planting a new woodland and wants to speak to anyone who might be interested in selling up.
The charity is looking for its first piece of land around North Somerset and wants to involve the community in finding and planting the site.
Up to 500 volunteers get involved with planting each new woodland, with the aim to tackle the climate emergency and boost local biodiversity.
ANT’s director and Chew Valley resident, Dave Wood, said: "Following two incredibly successful projects in Wiltshire planting 22,000 trees, we are excited to be working in North Somerset and look forward to working with the community to create new woodlands.
"We are in a climate and ecological emergency so we need to work quickly to increase the woodland cover in the area.
"However, it is really important to us that the new woodlands benefit the local community and that we work together with the local agriculture and landscape in mind, planting the right tree in the right place.
"If you are a landowner and interested in working with us or hearing more about what we do, please get in touch."
Farmer and ANT volunteer, Tara Castle, said: "I initially got involved with ANT when they purchased their first site, which neighbours my farm.
"As a landowner and wildlife enthusiast myself I understand the importance of mitigating the biodiversity and climate emergencies
we are facing in a way that works collaboratively with local communities and with agriculture.
"ANT does exactly that so I would encourage landowners who are interested to get in touch.
"Agriculture will be adversely affected by these emergencies more than most industries. Working with ANT is a great way to make a positive contribution."
Since its inception in 2019, ANT has been working to acquire land to permanently reforest and rewild in the Bristol-Avon river catchment area to help tackle the climate and ecological emergency.
By creating new permanent woodlands, they aim to lock-up carbon, improve local biodiversity, provide natural flood management, and publicly accessible green space.
So far, it has purchased two sites in Wiltshire, planting 22,000 native trees with the help of members of the local and surrounding communities, and are now on a mission to find their next site.
Almost all of the woodland in the Avon area has disappeared over the last few centuries, with woodland cover in the West of England at an average of only 8%, compared with 10%, and the minimum of 19% required across the UK to reach net zero targets.
Anyone who may wish to work with Avon Needs Trees can contact Director Dave Wood at dave.wood@avonneedstrees.org.uk.
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