YFC members across England and Wales have started planting thousands of sapling trees as part of NFYFC’s Protect Your Future campaign.

Clubs and counties have taken on projects in their local communities and planted trees that they applied for from The Woodland Trust earlier in the year. Many of the clubs have partnered with local organisations to find suitable locations.

In Berkshire, Bradfield YFC brought members together to plant 420 trees on land just outside their village. Taking part in the campaign helped the club feel like they could do something positive for the environment.

Club Chairman Hannah Waters said: “Like a lot of YFCs we are very attuned to what’s going on in the countryside and issues with plastics and global warming. The campaign has helped us do something positive and I hope it sparks enthusiasm for more environmental action.”

In Buckingham, clubs joined forces to plant 600 sapling trees – one for every member of the County.

Wedmore YFC in Somerset have set up their own @yfcfreetree Instagram channel to make regular updates about the locations where they are planting their 420 sapling trees. More recently they have been supporting an edible planting project in Worthington Wood, a Wedmore parish council project, which will provide produce for local villagers to eat.

Club member Jack Nicholls said: “Wedmore YFC have planted a mixture of their trees here as a boundary hedge and also individual specimens. We have supplied fruit and nut trees to be planted at a later date once plans have been drawn by the Food Forest Project.”

Other projects include planting on YFC members’ farms to create spaces to remember lost families and friends, encouraging habitation along riverbeds and providing trees for a large memorial garden.

YFC members have planting dates set for December too and sapling trees can still be applied for from The Woodland Trust for planting in 2020