Tree-mendous card collection

Dec 31 2009 by Kathryn Quayle, Chester Chronicle

GIVE a present back to the environment this Christmas by recycling your cards with the Woodland Trust.

By recycling your cards in special bins at WHSmith, TK Maxx and Marks & Spencer this January, you will be helping the charity reach its target – to plant 12,000 native trees or an area of woodland half the size of London Zoo.

Since the Woodland Trust started its Christmas Card Recycling Scheme, a total of 659m cards have been recycled – 59m last year alone, which funded the planting of 14,000 trees.

In the 12 years of the project, 13,080 tonnes of cards have been collected, allowing the Trust to plant 155,000 trees.

The big difference this year is that if people visit the Woodland Trust web site and pledge to recycle, they can choose the planting region for the trees they are helping to fund.

Paul Hetherington, from the Woodland Trust, said: “Each year we value the wonderful support from everyone who recycles their Christmas cards with the Trust, which makes a huge difference to our work. This is why we want to say a big thank you this year by giving people the opportunity to choose where their trees are planted.”

To pledge, visit the website www.woodlandtrust.org.uk.