Greenwood Plants awarded contract to grow three million native trees for National Highways

Greenwood Plants is delighted to have been awarded £2.7 million of funding by National Highways to grow three million native trees from seed, over five years. National Highways has committed to planting at least three million trees by 2030 and Greenwood has been contracted as the sole supplier for this huge project.

The tree whips are being cultivated from seed, in peat-free growing media and according to the National Plant Specification, to achieve the highest quality stock through rigorous growing standards. The native species include holly, Scots pine, oak, rowan and beech. The trees will offer seasonal interest throughout the year and blend harmoniously with the surrounding natural environment whilst supporting the local ecosystem.

“We are really proud to be supporting National Highways in their goals of reaching Net Zero and improving biodiversity across the country, principles that are very close to our heart here at Greenwood”, said Melanie Asker, Managing Director.

National Highways endeavours to connect the country and grow the economy in an environmentally sustainable way and continues to take action to cut carbon emissions at every opportunity. It has recently published its ‘Environmental Sustainability Strategy’ which sets out the organisation’s long-term vision to manage roads in a more sustainable way, ensuring the network can be used to maximise opportunities to support biodiversity and reduce congestion in a way that supports its journey to net zero.

Malcolm Dare, National Highways, Executive Director, Commercial and Procurement,  said “We are proud to be leading this ground breaking investment for the strategic road network. The planting of three million trees by 2030 shows how seriously we take our role in addressing the climate crisis and building a cleaner, greener future for everyone.”

Greenwood’s brand values and sustainability activities are aligned with the environmental goals of National Highways. Greenwood is committed to ‘growing greener’ by implementing sustainable practices to achieve net zero, including becoming 100% peat-free by the end of 2023, reducing the use of chemical pesticides, investing in electric vehicles, finding alternatives to single-use plastics, and becoming self-sufficient with regards water harvesting and renewable energy use.

The award of this Nursery Supplies contract to Greenwood acts as a beacon for the success of British business. It demonstrates that capable and ambitious regional SME’s can directly prosper as part of national investment initiatives.

If you’d like to find out more about Greenwood’s contract growing service or sustainability strategy, visit www.greenwoodplants.co.uk.