The ‘Free Trees for Scotland’ initiative is a brand new project aimed at re-greening Scotland. The project comes after our success with Free Trees for Portugal, which is now in its third year. We hope to be able to advance this initiative so that we can work to bring Free Trees initiatives from Gone West in collaboration with the funder, all over Europe.

Free Trees for Scotland aims at supporting local smallholders with native trees, in order to empower communities to work together to restore and revitalise natural ecosystems. The initiative also intends to provide promotional support and visibility to these projects so as to champion and continue the work of ecological restoration in Scotland.

We aim to demonstrate that reforestation can occur in a holistic manner that addresses all sectors of society including environmental, social, financial and inspirational.

The measurable outcomes of this project include:

  • Planting and maintenance of large and small scale planting projects, for the purpose of restoring and re-greening landscapes.
  • Encouraging community engagement through opportunities to plant native trees and work with one another and the land.
  • Supporting continued growth and empowerment of local communities and small-holdings  via  promotional support from Gone West and press coverage.
  • Providing collaboration opportunities to nurseries across Scotland.
  • Preventing soil erosion and creating carbon sinks in the soil.
  • Inspiring locals to engage with their environment and giving people access to forest spaces in order to foster a more holistic relationship with their natural surroundings.
  • Improving national awareness of the importance of planting native trees.

Location: Ness, Portre, Langholm, Inverness, Kinross, Kirkcudbright, Isle of Skye, Leven, Lanarkshire, Perth, Portree, Brodick

Species: Due to the large area that this project covers, we plant a variety of native/endemic species that are suited for each particular biosphere. Some common species include but are not limited to:Common Alder Alnus Glutinosa, Silver Birch Betula Pendula, Downy Birch Betula Pubescens, Common Hawthorn Crataegus Monogyna (Rosaceae, Goat Willow (Sallow) Salix Caprea (Salicaceae), Rowan (Mountain Ash) Sorbus Aucuparia (Rosaceae), Scots Pine Pinus Sylvestris (Pinaceae), English Oak (Pendunculate) Quercus Robur, Sessile Oak Quercus Petraea, Bird Cherry Prunus Padus, Holly Ilex Aquifolium