Press Release
For Immediate Use

Love Grows on Trees - Dedicate a Tree for Valentines Day

The opportunity to dedicate a young sapling in local woodland to your loved one this Valentines Day is being offered by Community Forests Northwest – the charity which supports and generates funding for the North West’s two Community Forests.

Ditching the conventional idea of flowers or chocolates for February 14th, Community Forests Northwest enables people to dedicate a tree planted in one of 8 community woodland sites that have been planted by Red Rose Forest in Greater Manchester and The Mersey Forest in Merseyside and north Cheshire.

The trees cost from £10 each, although a ‘lovers grove’ of up to 50 trees can be dedicated for £250. In return, they will receive a certificate to mark their dedication, with a personalised message. The dedication will also contribute to the Community Forests creation of woodland right across the Northwest region.

Celebrities have already joined in the support for Community Forests Northwest’s work, including Mark Owen, Matthew Kelly and Linda Barker, (from Changing Rooms and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!) who urges everyone to get involved:

“Trees make for a brighter future, help Community Forests Northwest make a better future for all of us.”

The Northwest of England has one of the least wooded landscapes in Europe . By supporting the work of Red Rose Forest and the Mersey Forest through Community Forest Northwest’s Dedicate a Tree scheme you can help to rectify this problem, as well play a part in the transformation of the Northwest of England into a greener, greater place.

For further information about the Dedicate a Tree scheme or the work of Community Forests Northwest, please contact Rebecca Calvert on 0161 872 1660.

Notes to the Editor

High-resolution images to complement this press release are available. Please contact Faith Ashworth, Marketing Manager, Red Rose Forest on 0161 872 1660 or faith@redroseforest.co.uk.

The woodlands that are associated with the Dedicate a Tree scheme are in Bury, Bolton and Wigan in Lancashire, Burtonwood, Northwich and Delamere in Cheshire and Maghull and Whiston in Merseyside.

Community Forests Northwest was created in 2001, to support the work of the Northwest region’s two Community Forests – Red Rose Forest in Greater Manchester and The Mersey Forest in Merseyside and North Cheshire. Community Forests Northwest generates funding and raises awareness of the two Forests – enabling them to continue their vital work, increasing tree cover across the Northwest region and creating attractive environments in which businesses and local communities can thrive.
Community Forests Northwest is supporting Red Rose Forest and The Mersey Forest as they see over 50 million trees planted in the region over 40 years and offers businesses and individuals many opportunities to get involved in this valuable project.

Community Forests Northwest (through Red Rose Forest and The Mersey Forest) have planted 3693 hectares or around 8,300,000 trees since the Forests’ began

Since the Forests began, woodland cover over the two Forest areas has increased by 54%

Of the region’s land area, 30% is built up and only 3.8% is wooded. The national average for woodland cover is 8% and the European average woodland cover is 33% - meaning that the Northwest region is severely lagging behind!

Over 70% of land in the Northwest is suitable for woodland planting

Energy consumption can be 10 per cent lower in buildings sheltered by trees

A large beech tree can provide enough oxygen for the daily requirement of ten people