It's no secret that trees make our world a better place.
From producing oxygen, filtering the air, absorbing pollution and CO2 to supporting wildlife, trees even cool our pavements during heatwaves and protect us from flooding.
To bring more greenery to Gloucestershire, a new scheme from Gloucestershire County Council enables businesses to sponsor a tree near their office, or a location they'd love to see boosted by a few more leaves.
Businesses can sponsor any number of trees — from just one, to an entire street's worth, with it typically costing from £300 to £600 to sponsor one tree, depending on the area.
Each tree will be semi-mature when planted, standing three to five metres tall — making an instant impact. Sponsorship covers the planting, maintenance and watering of the tree throughout its life. There's also an option to cover the watering of the tree yourself, which reduces the sponsorship fee.
As well as making the county greener, Trees For Streets say there's plenty of evidence that trees are good for business, too.
A spokesperson for the charity said: 'Tree-lined streets are more attractive and encourage people to go out and shop. Studies show that people will spend up to 12 per cent more on goods or services in areas with large, well-cared-for trees.
'Moreover, a recent global study revealed that consumers are four to six times more likely to purchase from, protect and champion purpose-driven companies.'
The deadline for applications for trees to be planted this winter is Sunday 2 December 2023. After that, any new sponsored trees will be planted in the next winter season, which runs from October 2024 to March 2025.
To find out more, or to sponsor a tree, visit treesforstreets.org.
