The mission....
In 2010 we set ourselves a mission of planting 1000 native English hardwood trees every year to help offset our customer’s carbon emissions.
From speaking to our clients, we recognised a concern that many people share of the impact that their leisure or business travel can have on the environment. As climate change continues to be a huge challenge and concern across the world, we decided to be proactive and do something about it, so we launched a tree planting scheme!
The amount of CO2 a new tree will offset depends on many factors, such as the type of tree, where it is planted and the amount of room it has to grow. However, on average, one broadleaf tree will absorb around a ton of carbon dioxide during a life-time of 100 years. In addition, the trees being planted will create new habitat for birds, mammals and insects.
Our first project on the 16th July 2010 was located at Marron Leys Woodland in Lamplugh. Tony Cunningham and Jamie Reed (MP’s for Allerdale and Copeland at the time) attended a ceremony to mark the tree planting. They joined us and Steven Milledge (Assistant Headteacher from Cockermouth School), Anne Francis (Headteacher from Lamplugh CE School) and some of their pupils.
Since beginning the scheme we have completed projects at Marron Leys Woodlands Lamplugh Cockermouth School, Maryport Golf Club, Riversmeet Community Garden, Cockermouth Golf Club, Riverside Car Park Cockermouth, Memorial Gardens Cockermouth and St Helens Street.
When in 2013 it proved a challenge to find available land to keep up with our target of 1000 trees each year, we decided to replace all the Cherry trees along the river at Riverside Car Park that were washed away in the 2009 floods, and also managed to plant 300 Beech saplings at St Josephs School!
By December 2019 we had planted over 7000 trees!
Take a look at some of our tree planting projects...
Rounded up some helpers!
Cockermouth School – Planted 2011
Planting 300 Beech Saplings with some very helpful little gardeners!
St Josephs School, Cockermouth – Planted 2013
Replacing the cherry trees that were destroyed in the 2009 floods
With the help of representatives from the Council’s Parks & Open Spaces team and volunteers from Cockermouth Day Services. They are looking great now!
Riverside Car Park, Cockermouth – Planted 2013
Local partnerships
Golf Club President, John Potter shared “This just shows how local partnerships can get together and make a positive difference in a variety of ways. Our course is being improved and the environment benefits. There are no losers in schemes like this and Paul and his team at Cockermouth Travel must be congratulated on their foresight.”
Maryport Golf Club – Planted 2014
Paul with Geoff Bartle from Cockermouth Golf Club where we planted 500 trees
Cockermouth Golf Club – Planted 2014
Riversmeet Community Garden!
We brought John & his shovel out of retirement to help plant Apple trees at the Riversmeet Community Garden!
Riversmeet Community Garden, Cockermouth – Planted 2015
6000 trees planted to date!!
Paul & Barney were helped by Mayor David Malloy, members of the Civic trust, Gareth White & the year 6 class from All Saints School to plant an avenue of 32 Silver Birch and Rowan trees – 6000 trees planted to date!!
St Helens Street, Cockermouth – Planted 2018
Other Projects
We are always on the lookout for more ways that we can reduce our client’s carbon emissions, here are some of the other projects we have put in place…
