Parents and children attempt to transform ailing community amid looming threat: 'To really make a difference'

Creating new growth in forests is usually up to trees to make happen. 

That's no longer the case on the coast of Cornwall, England, where National Trust, a conservation nonprofit, has planted over 20,000 trees. The feat was made possible by a strong base of volunteer support, according to the BBC.

The group's goal is to plant 40,000 saplings in Cornwall — and the job is truly a full family affair. Young kids are taking an active part in the planting while learning from the trust's rangers about why healthy forests and conservation are important. 

"It brings shade and they're pretty and they're good for the environment," Emily, a ten-year-old who helped plant holly, blackthorn, and chestnut trees, told the BBC.

Her mother Trudie was also getting her hands dirty and estimated her and Emily had planted 20 trees in their first hour of work. 

"My grandad used to farm some of the land here as well so it will be lovely for the kids to see all the trees growing, glad to be involved today," Trudie said, per the BBC.

"Trees make excellent homes for wildlife," Hastings, another young helper, explained to the outlet. 

The National Trust is focusing on the county of Cornwall because it is one of the least wooded areas in the United Kingdom. The project will continue for another three years, adding more than 74 total acres of woodland to the area by the end. The trust also has a goal to plant 20 million trees across the whole nation by 2030, the BBC reported. 

The rangers involved in the planting explained to the outlet how filling in existing habitats with new trees enhances and protects the whole ecosystem. Fan-favorite woodland species, such as the dormouse, adder snake, and barn owl all get better places to make homes. People will be able to enjoy the area too, via new and improved walking paths that will be open to the community.

Meanwhile, the trees themselves will help keep the air we breathe clean and free from planet-heating gases. 

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Want to support conservation efforts like this one? Getting involved locally or supporting nonprofits from afar are both great ways to start. 

"We have an incredible team of volunteers who come out in all weathers to really make a difference and we are so grateful for their time," Andy Simmons, lead ranger for south-east Cornwall, told the BBC. 

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