Reconomy Group company, ACM kickstarts local tree planting initiative in partnership with OASIS® Floral Products

ACM, a Reconomy Group company, celebrates first key milestone with OASIS® Floral Products and plants over 500 trees locally for Durham Wildlife Trust as the ultimate carbon capture.

In line with OASIS® Floral Products ‘Big Green Plan’ objectives, ACM in partnership with OASIS® Floral Products, took part in a tree planting initiative focusing on natural habitat restoration and carbon capture. This will help create a green legacy and comes with several benefits in addition to carbon capture, including wildlife habitat biodiversity, the prevention of flooding, reduced city temperature, reduced pollution and keeping soil nutrient rich.

ACM proudly rolled out the initiative this March at Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve, with the support of ACMs Business Development Team, OASIS® Floral Products employee volunteers and Durham Wildlife Trust. Thanks to the efforts of 15 volunteers, over 500 trees were planted within a morning. Rainton Meadows was a former open cast coal mine and extends to 182 acres of lakes, wetlands, and grasslands. It is home to over 200 species of birds such as redshank, oystercatcher, lapwing, little ringed plover and all 5 species of UK owl. Visitors might also spot stoat, weasel, brown hare and roe dear with the wetlands attracting numerous dragonflies and damselflies. High numbers of butterflies are attracted by the grasslands.

Climate change is a huge, and complex issue, and to become carbon net zero by 2050 we need to remove as much carbon as we’re producing, and to achieve this we need more trees. According to The Woodland Trust, 1.5 million hectares of additional woodland are needed to help reach net zero carbon. ACM and OASIS® Floral Products are committed to the fight against climate change and understand the importance of taking action ourselves. We all have an individual responsibility in the transition of environmental sustainability.

Russ Sampson, Principal Environmental Consultant for the North at ACM, said “It’s great to work so closely with OASIS® Floral Products on a project where we are all giving something back.  For me tree planting has it all – it’s a beautiful setting and knowing we are providing something very special for wildlife, the local community and the environment gives me a real sense of purpose.  The area we were planting was next to a newly constructed lake – we saw a pair of lapwing which are already starting to use the area, perhaps thy might even breed there this season”.

Steph Gillespie, Marketing and Sustainability Specialist for OASIS® Floral Products, said: “Rainton Meadows is a very special place for the local community, and OASIS® Floral Products are very pleased to be supporting it. The great thing about Rainton Meadows is that it’s entirely free to visit and being fully accessible, it’s available for absolutely everyone to enjoy. I visit regularly and am really looking forward to seeing the wildlife take hold in an area which we have helped develop”.

You can find more about Rainton Meadows and Durham Wildlife Trust at https://www.durhamwt.com/nature-reserves/rainton-meadows