National park set to beat tree planting target

More than 40,000 trees are being planted this winter in Sussex and Hampshire

A national park is set to beat its target of planting 100,000 trees by the middle of the decade and now plans to plant a million more.

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) said the Trees for the Downs campaign had raised more than £400,000 and has included planting 3,500 disease-resistant elms - habitats for threatened species such as the white letter hairstreak butterfly.

It said more than 40,000 trees were being planted this winter as part of the scheme, bringing the total to 117,700 across 150 sites in East Sussex, West Sussex and Hampshire.

A spokesperson for the national park said its campaign was "just getting started" and had "huge potential".

A target has been set to plant one million more trees between now and 2035, with the SDNPA now focusing on identifying suitable sites for tree planting, including new woodland and hedges.

The potential new area of woodland would be more than twice the size of Brighton & Hove and could store up to 37,667,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide after 100 years, according to the SDNPA.

Nick Heasman, SDNPA forester and ecologist, said of the campaign: "The reaction has been nothing short of extraordinary and I think it underlines people's affection for trees.

"In a tough and uncertain world, trees really are a symbol of hope and restoration.

"Planting a variety of native species, in the right place, continues to be our focus and will be crucial to tackling biodiversity loss and a changing climate."

Additional reporting by PA Media.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.