It is a busy time for the tree nursery as planting season continues, and demand is high this year.

It is fantastic that there is such an eagerness for tree planting, but no one ever asks the question “where are all these millions of trees coming from?”.

Most tree nurseries are stretched to their limits this year to fulfil orders for their regular customers, let alone all the new and huge planting schemes planned. Tree growers are at the mercy of climate change and extremes in the weather that can affect the growth rates and sometimes even the survival of very young trees. Trees take at least two years to grow until they are ready to lift and transplant. They are living, growing organisms and cannot be rushed in their growth just to meet demand. We think that there must be a debate due very soon as to how we are going to manage, here in the UK, to grow enough native species to meet the goal needed for effective carbon capture over the next few years. Watch this space.