Philip Payne, part of the FW Thorpe Group, has chosen to plant trees. Why trees? Trees and other plants absorb CO2 during photosynthesis. The average tree can absorb around 1t of CO2 during the first 100 years of its life. A forest covering many acres can effectively lock up CO2, creating a “carbon sink”.

On 215 acres of land in Devauden, Monmouthshire, FW Thorpe PLC Group plans to plant 2500 trees each year – the plot has a capacity of 155,000 trees in total.

Native broadleaf species will maximise the potential of the site and link up adjoining ancient woodlands, improving the local environment. Sustainable forest management will ensure the trees thrive and are harvested at appropriate times to be used in wood-related products, ensuring the carbon is held within the wood well past the life of the tree. Whenever a tree is felled, it will be replaced with another.

The project has been designed and will be managed by a silviculturalist (an expert in the development and management of forests), with a view to long term accreditation by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

If you, our customer, join the scheme, the impact will be far greater than FW Thorpe can achieve alone and, by planting your trees through the FW Thorpe scheme, you can be confident of achieving the maximum benefit – our project will be managed by experts to ensure a sustainable forest.

Tree planting is an effective approach to carbon offsetting. A typical school sports hall using 25 4 x 54W T5 luminaires can be carbon offset (made carbon neutral) by planting only ten trees a year. Each tree costs approximately £10, which includes the planning, planting and long-term maintenance; £100 per year to offset.

Trees can be paid for online

Each tree will offset approximately 1t of CO2 during its lifetime of 100 years; 1t of CO2 equates to approximately 1,900kWh of electricity.