Green charity's work nets a cash boost

CONSERVATION charity Trees for Life, based in Findhorn, received a boost to its pioneering work last week.

The charity, which is working to restore the Caledonian Forest in the Scottish Highlands, recently announced its support for the global "Billion Trees" campaign by the United Nations which aims to address climate change by encouraging people, organisations and businesses to plant seven billion trees by the end of 2009.

Trees for Life received a substantial boost in the form of a cheque for £10,000 from Standard Life to help them with their pledge to plant a quarter of a million trees during 2008 and 2009.

Alan Watson Featherstone, Trees for Life founder and executive director, received the cash from James Mitchell, on behalf of the global asset managing business Standard Life.

They made the donation through Standard Life's "Go Paperless" campaign, which encourages customers to sign up to receive statements via a secure, online document centre instead of through paper statements.

Mr Featherstone said he was grateful and delighted for the support, which will go a long way to helping Trees for Life with their pledge.

"This is our most ambitious tree-planting drive so far," he said.

"It will allow people to take simple, effective steps to protect the climate and restore one of the UK's most stunning forests."

He said in 2007 they surpassed their original commitment of 100,000 trees to the initial Billion Tree Campaign by planting 109,000 trees as part of its forest restoration work, and were raising their sights again, in view of the increasing world environmental problems.

"We invite and encourage more people to come and plant trees with us through our volunteer programme, to help us fulfil this new commitment," he said.

"Today, just 1% of the original Caledonian Forest survives. But through Trees for Life, people can have trees or groves planted for themselves or as a gift."

Since planting its first trees in 1991 in Glen Affric, Trees for Life has planted over 670,000 trees.

For more information, or to support Trees for Life, call 0845 458 3506, e-mail trees@findhorn.org or visit www.treesforlife.org.uk