Plant a Tree Donations!

Here at Abacus (Motorhomes and Vehicle Hire), we have pledged £1000 a month towards planting and nurturing trees! 

Our managing director, David Wolfenden, has spent his life surrounded by trees in the New Forest, and has really come to appreciate the beauty and value of trees in an aesthetic aspect. 

Although the automotive industry is taking great strides to make improvements on the environmental impact, there is always more that can be done. That is why we have partnered with a local registered charity; Ringwood Actions for Climate Emergency (RACE). 

Today we’re going to be breaking down what our £1000 monthly donation covers, and what you can do to help during your time and experience with Abacus! 

What do donations cover? 

With the work tat RACE covers, donations can be broken down into four different categories: hedging plants; fruit trees; larger trees; and nurturing for the all-important first 2 years. 

Our monthly donations amount to £12,000 across the year, which converts into the following: 

• 3000 hedging plants or 600m of hedging at a cost of circa £2 each including mulch and maintenance (covering £6000) 

• 50 standard trees at £50 each (£1500) - this year it covered fruit trees for schools! 

• 10 large trees at £450 each, which includes stakes, guards, ties and mulch)

What are the benefits of planting trees?

When it comes to the battle against climate change, the message is a clear one - trees are the best way to tackle the crisis. As the biggest plants on the planet, they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilise the soil and give life to the world's wildlife.

Each tree planted will (at maturity) absorb roughly 20kg of CO2 per annum. Therefore, planting 3,060 trees will absorb about 60 tonnes of CO2 which is equivalent to driving approximately 300,000 miles! While these benefits do not happen in the first year, with hedging taking around 5 years to get to that point, some of the large trees will have an immediate effect!* 

Planting trees and hedging will provide the following benefits: 

Air

Trees help to clean the air, by absorbing harmful pollutants and releasing clean oxygen for us to breathe. In urban environments, trees also absorb nitrogen oxides, ozone and carbon monoxide, as well as sweeping up dust and smoke particles. 

Water 

Trees play a key role in capturing rainwater, preventing harmful waterslide erosion and reducing the risk of over-saturation and flooding. This is done via their intricate root systems which act as filters - removing pollutants and slowing down the water’s absorption into the soil. 

Biodiversity 

Did you know that a single tree can be home to hundreds of species of insects, fungi, moss, mammals and plants? Depending on the kind of food and shelter they need, different forest animals require different types of habitat. Without trees, forest creatures would have nowhere to call home! 

How can you help to make a difference? 

We are pleased to give you the opportunity to help make a difference too! Every £2 you donate will go towards planting and maintaining a tree, helping our local and global environment to flourish for ourselves and future generations. 

All you need to do is select the “Plant a Tree” option during the booking process - it’s as simple as that! 

*Please note: the numbers above vary by species but should be good enough as an approximation.