Dedicate a tree and breathe new life into our woodlands
For yourself or for a loved one, in celebration or in memory, help us to nurture and protect Scotland’s wonderful woodlands for generations to come
How it works...
From seeds and saplings to sustainable woodlands
Choose
where you’d like to dedicate a tree
Decide
how much you’d like to donate to support your chosen woodland project
Dedicate
your tree and we’ll send you a certificate and information leaflet
Share
your dedication through our virtual woodland
Follow
the progress of your woodland project through regular updates and videos from us
OUR PROJECTS
Replanting storm-ravaged woodlands in the North East
Between 2021 and 2023, the brutal impacts of Storm Arwen, Storm Corrie, Storm Malik and Storm Otto brought down millions of trees all over Scotland. The North East was badly affected with many of the gardens and designed landscapes in the care of the National Trust for Scotland destroyed. The scale of this devastation was both horrific and heart-breaking and, as trees are our natural allies in combating climate change, the environmental impact was – and still is – significant.
At sites like Crathes Castle, Castle Fraser, Craigievar Castle, Drum Castle, Fyvie and Pitmedden, we’ve spent many months clearing up what was blown down to provide a fresh canvas for careful replanting and natural regeneration over the next ten years. Using climate change modelling, we’ll plant trees that will be most beneficial to creating resilient woodlands, so by dedicating a tree in the North East you will help us to create those vital ‘cathedral forests’ of the future.
DEDICATE A TREE AND SUPPORT THIS PROJECT
Find out more about our work to replant storm-ravaged woodlands in the North East
The Old Wood of Drum
Glen Rosa
Rescuing endangered and endemic species in Glen Rosa
The stunning glacier-carved valley of Glen Rosa in Arran has felt the impact of human intervention for over 4,000 years. Today, humans are intervening again, but this time positively, as we work to restore the woodlands we know existed on the lower slopes thousands of years ago and preserve three important species – the Arran whitebeam, cut-leaved whitebeam and Catacol whitebeam – all in danger of being lost forever.
We’re introducing downy birch, Sessile oak, hazel, willow, aspen and alder as well as our endangered and endemic Arran whitebeams to a 400-hectare site, fenced off to protect the young trees from grazing deer. Already, we’re seeing more insects, more birdlife and more native plant species return. By dedicating a tree in Glen Rosa, you’ll be making a vital contribution to the restoration of this stunning island landscape and the nature it supports.
DEDICATE A TREE AND SUPPORT THIS PROJECT
Find out more about our work to rescue endemic species in Glen Rosa
Restoring Scotland’s natural mountain woodlands
For over 30 years, we’ve worked tirelessly to restore mountain woodlands at Ben Lawers National Nature Reserve. These woodlands – which should transition naturally from trees on lower slopes, up through small and hardy shrubs in a band known as ‘mountain woodland’ and into the open slopes of the upper summits – have been lost due to overgrazing. Rare montane scrub species have become dangerously sparse and isolated as a result, and this little-known plant community is so often forgotten about that it’s referred to as a ‘Cinderella habitat’!
Our pioneering approach to restoring montane scrub is holistic, and we work all the way up from the lower slopes to the smallest shrubs on the upper slopes, planting native species like birch, hazel and aspen, as well as endangered species like the downy willow. Today, Ben Lawers has the best example of healthy mountain woodland in the UK. By dedicating a tree, you’re not only helping us to restore the natural beauty of this incredible mountain landscape, but to provide shelter and sustenance for wildlife and insects, and to create ideal conditions for other rare and endangered plant species to thrive.
DEDICATE A TREE AND SUPPORT THIS PROJECT
Find out more about our work to restore mountain woodland at Ben Lawers
Ben Lawers
Dedicate today to protect tomorrow
Woodlands and forests are often called ‘the lungs of the planet’. Through a process called woodland carbon sequestration, trees remove harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, by photosynthesis, release oxygen back while storing carbon within a natural reservoir of living biomass and soil. This makes trees our greatest allies in the battle against climate change and, by dedicating a tree, you’ll be helping us to restore and protect our vital woodlands for the benefit of everyone who loves Scotland now and in the future.
Frequently asked questions
If I dedicate a tree, can I scatter ashes or place a physical memorial in one of the woodland sites?
If you would like to scatter the ashes of your loved one at one of our properties or landscapes, please contact us first by emailing hennis@nts.org.uk with your request. In some locations, the scattering of ashes can be detrimental to the biodiversity of our spaces and therefore we cannot allow it.
Will my dedication be linked to one specific tree?
Our woodland projects involve the planting of many thousands of trees so we’re not able to link a dedication to a specific tree. Supporting the National Trust for Scotland through a dedication will enable us to plant not just one tree, but to propogate seeds, plant saplings and nurture and grow many, many trees in the place that means most to you.
Can I share my dedication with friends and family?
Yes! Your special dedication will be featured in our online ‘virtual woodland’ on the National Trust for Scotland website and it will also appear on the certificate you receive.
Will I be able to take part in the tree planting for the woodland I’ve chosen?
Our woodland regeneration projects will take place over a number of years, in carefully planned phases, and will be managed by dedicated planting specialists. This means that dates and times of planting will vary, which makes it difficult for us to offer individual planting opportunities. However, when you dedicate a tree, we will keep in regular contact with you to let you know how the woodland project you’ve supported is developing and what new trees have been planted.
Can I choose to make my dedication to a specific species of tree?
Our planting projects aim to mimic nature and that means that we’ll plant a wide variety of different species, selected as being most appropriate to each National Trust for Scotland woodland project. You’ll find a list of the species we intend to plant as part of each woodland project, so if there’s a species that’s particularly meaningful to you or the person you dedicated a tree to, that may help you to decide which project you’d like to support.
Will I be able to visit the woodland that I have chosen for my tree dedication?
Yes – please do! All of our woodlands are open to visitors to our National Trust for Scotland sites. However, as the old saying goes, we plant trees today to provide shade for future generations, so it will take many years before we see the fruits of our labours and your support. If you do plan to visit, we hope you’ll take great pleasure in watching the woodland you support grow and mature over time.
Will you be introducing more woodland projects where trees can be dedicated?
Yes! Our woodland regeneration programme won’t happen overnight so our ‘Dedicate a Tree’ appeal will be ongoing for many years to come. As we begin work on new woodland projects, these will be introduced to our appeal.
Have another question?
Contact our team at fundraising@nts.org.uk