One Million Trees
What is the One Million Trees Campaign?
The River Dee Trust launched the One Million Trees Campaign in 2020 after recording dangerously high-water temperatures in the hill streams of the Dee that are nursery areas for young fish. The campaign is vital to the long-term survival of Dee salmon by providing cooling shade against rising river temperatures through establishing 50% woodland cover along the riverbanks.
We started planting trees back in 2013 and the campaign launched in 2020 is aimed at gaining additional support from the public in our communities and with businesses in the area. We have set a challenging target that requires us to double the rate of our previous tree planting efforts, the aim is to reach the One Million Trees mark by 2035!
What type of trees are planted?
We plant native trees and then they have the best chance of survival, in particular the ones planted in the upper Cairngorms that have to endure the harsh environment of a Scottish winter.
We plant species such as Willow, Rowan, Birch, Alder, and Aspen.
Where are the trees planted?
Our work is about putting the right tree in the right place, such as where water temperatures are predicted to rise the most in the future. This helps biodiversity, rather than just focusing on offsetting carbon. We work with landowners to find the best place to plant trees and is sympathetic to existing land uses.
What benefits do trees have to the river and its catchment?
- Trees help to increase biodiversity in the catchment.
- Trees can reduce water temperatures for young salmon and other wildlife by providing cooling shade.
- Trees stabilize riverbanks and river channels from erosion and provide increased stability in times of flood.
- Trees, in particular the deciduous kind that we plant, provide leaf litter that drops into the water, aquatic insects then feed and break down these leaves, as the food source increases, insect numbers increase, in turn providing food for the aquatic web such as young fish.
Who else is working with the River Dee Trust on the One Million Trees campaign?
Our work has been hugely supported by other organisations including the Cairngorms National Part Authority, The Woodland Trust Scotland and NatureScot, along with landowners, businesses, and the local community and the Dee District Salmon Fishery Board. Click here to download our e brochure – One Million Trees Brochure
How can members of the public get involved?
- Register as a volunteer for tree planting or one of our other activities in the catchment.
Tree planting takes place in Nov-April to register your interest in helping with this please e mail info@riverdee.org
- Buy some trees for us to plant and be part of our One Million Trees Campaign, the options start at just one tree and ideal gift to get a young person interested in nature, right up to an enclosure of trees that can be planted in tribute for a loved one, or if you just love nature – click here to visit our web shop
- Speak to your employer about becoming River Dee Guardians – info here click here
How many trees have been planted by the end of the 2023/4 season?
We are now ahead of the target and the end of year 3, and have planted over 484,000 trees, we will keep going as fast as we can and exceed our target.
We must act now; our precious Atlantic Salmon are now on the endangered list.
We don’t plan to stop when we reach one million trees!
Thanks to all the supporters of our One Million Trees Campaign
Watch our video here to learn more OMT video
Click on the e brochure – One Million Trees Brochure
Winner of the Nature and Climate Action Award
