Tree o'clock
Crown Estate properties across Scotland recently joined in a world record attempt to plant 1 million trees across the UK in one hour.
At Glenlivet Estate, twenty nine volunteers helped plant an impressive 2,250 trees to start what will be a new 40 hectare native Caledonian woodland near Altnaglander. Andrew Wells, Head of Countryside Management said; “the woodland will ultimately have around 63,000 native trees in total and planting will now continue throughout winter to create this new woodland. As it grows and matures – across decades – it will become a welcome habitat for many of our native species.” Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, who also joined in with the tree planting at Glenlivet said: “This is a 
great event for communities to take part in. The event is a fantastic way for everyone to have some fun and take part in some physical activity. At the same time, it is also a chance to make the important connection with how our forests and woodlands are helping in the global battle for climate change. Well done to all those involved.”
In all The Crown Estate succeeded in adding nearly 4,000 trees to the total of trees planted in the hour as part of the BBC’s Breathing Places campaign (www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/treeoclock) These also included an avenue of native lime trees at Applegirth Estate in Dumfries and Galloway and a mixture of native broadleaved species to extend an area of existing native woodland, at the Whitehill Estate south of Edinburgh. The current world record stands 653,143 trees and the Tree O’Clock organisers are hoping to smash the record by planting one million trees.