Leersum
Together with Staatsbosbeheer en het Buitenfonds we are planting 24,000 trees in Leersum. This way we make the Netherlands even greener! Will you plant with us?
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Why is this project needed?
The world needs more forest and so does the Netherlands. Our central government wants to create a total of 37,000 hectares of new forest in the Netherlands before 2030. The goal of this strategy is to improve the quality of our existing forests and further expand the existing forests in the Netherlands. Trees for All is happy to contribute to this.
In Leersum we plant trees in locations situated between the sandy Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the clayey polder and river landscape. Many tree species that thrive on moist soils have traditionally grown here. Think of willows and alders. Unfortunately, many tree and shrub species have disappeared over the past century, partly due to the expansion of cities, the construction of more infrastructure and the scaling up of agriculture.
Due to the disappearance of trees and shrubs, all kinds of all kinds of plants and animals have lost their habitat. Unique landscapes have also been lost in the process. We are changing this by planting new trees.
Examples of animals that benefit from more forest are (from left to right) the flying deer, squirrels, woodpeckers, pine martens, fire salamanders, tawny owls and roe deer.
What are we going to do in Leersum?
We are planting a total of 24,000 trees and shrubs in Leersum. With this we are creating 6 hectares of new forest, which amounts to almost 9 football fields!
We are planting different native species of trees and shrubs to create a diverse forest. We do this because diverse forests are more resistant to drought, diseases or pests than a forest with one or a few tree species. If one species get tough in a diverse forest, then the remaining trees will maintain the forest. Moreover, a diverse forest attracts many different types of plants and animals. Think of birds, mammals or fungi, but also insects, such as bees and butterflies.
In Leersum we plant, among others, black alder, downy birch, elm, willow, blackthorn and hawthorn. These are species native to the Netherlands. This will create a strong and healthy forest that can also withstand tough times in the future.
From left to right: downy birch, hawthorn, cat willow, blackthorn, slippery elm, black alder.
Our goals
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Strengthening and expanding forests in the Netherlands
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Creating strong nature that can withstand (the consequences of) climate change
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Maintain, strengthen and expand biodiversity (the number of different species of plants and animals)
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Strengthening the Dutch landscape
This project contributes to several
Sustainable Development Goals
Where are we going to plant?
We plant trees on former grasslands in Leersum, in the province of Utrecht. Leersum is located in the middle of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug. So, with this project we are also strengthening the surrounding nature in this beautiful area.
Onze samenwerkingspartners
We are working on this project together with Staatsbosbeheer and het Buitenfonds (the support foundation of Staatsbosbeheer). Together with these partners, we are planting new forest in the winter of 2022-2023 at three more locations in the Netherlands. We will do this in Reutum (Overijssel), Dalerpeel (Drenthe) and Groote Peel (Noord-Brabant). So all donations are welcome to turn the planting of forest into a great success!
