Plant A Tree In '73 facts for kids

Plant A Tree In '73 was a big campaign in the United Kingdom in 1973. The government wanted everyone to help plant trees. It was called the 'National Tree Planting Year'. This was important because a serious tree sickness, called Dutch Elm Disease, was killing many elm trees across the country.

Why Plant Trees? The '73 Campaign

The idea for this campaign came from Sydney Chapman. He was a Member of Parliament, which means he helped make laws for the country. He suggested the idea to Peter Walker, who was in charge of the environment. Mr. Walker supported the idea.

A special group was then set up to organize the campaign. Many different groups helped out. These included local councils, youth groups, schools, and businesses. They all helped by planting trees, giving money for trees, or offering land.

The Forestry Commission gave away many trees. They donated about 90,000 trees to schools. They also gave 70,000 trees for projects with local councils. Other groups, like the Crown Estate Commissioners, also helped. The Royal Mail even made a special commemorative stamp for the campaign. It was a 9p stamp, first released in February 1973.

There was a similar "Plant a Tree in '73" campaign in South Africa. Their slogan was "Plant a tree in '73, plant one more in '74".

What Happened After the Campaign?

After the "Plant A Tree In '73" campaign, a new group was started in 1974. This group is called The Tree Council. It helps local groups that plant, care for, and protect trees.

Since it began, The Tree Council has helped plant many trees. They estimate that over 20 million trees have been planted. This happens during their yearly National Tree Weeks.