Avon Needs Trees relies on our corporate partners to make our projects possible.  Donations from businesses make the difference between being able to buy land to create new, permanent woodlands – and maintain them – or these projects not having the finance to be viable. 

We caught up with Rosie James and Jamie Farnell from Bath based environmental design, landscape architecture, ecology and visualisation practice Nicholas Pearson Associates (NPA). They have a Silver Business Supporter Package with us and planted trees at Great Avon Wood in January. They got thoroughly muddy planting trees and digging trenches for our temporary tree nursery. In September, they returned to the site for a sunny day of tree care and a visit to the Publow Oak.

What motivated you to partner with ANT?

Jamie: Our work involves improving places for people and wildlife, and we are very aware of challenges presented by the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. It was the NPA 40th anniversary last summer, and the celebrations included a boat trip around Bristol Harbour. The day coincided with a screening of the ‘Save Our Wild Isles’ business films hosted by Triodos Bank, which a group of us went along to. Watching the ‘Banking on a Wilder Tomorrow’ film sparked a debate about what practical actions we could take as a company to be more nature-positive. 

Rosie: As a business we have embraced flexible working over the last few years, and therefore we don’t all meet up together in person as often. We were looking for an opportunity to do something with us all together, inspired by the film, and not just a one-off activity. We often advocate the wellbeing benefits of green space to our clients, so an opportunity that would allow us to connect with each other, but also with nature, was a bonus. I had previously volunteered with Avon Needs Trees. The Great Avon Wood near my office planted a seed of an idea, and so the company decided to go for the Silver Business Supporter Package. 

Did the experience meet your expectations?

Rosie: Yes, very much! We were very fortunate with the weather, both in January and in September when we came back to site.  When we design landscapes and habitats, we can be working on projects for several years, and we are planning for decades into the future. With tree planting you can clearly see your progress in a day, which gave us a real sense of achievement.

Jamie: This was the first time that we have actually got our hands dirty on a team away day. It was great to be doing something physical, help change the environment for the better and to just be there “thinking with your hands”. It also gave us the opportunity to spend time with each other in a more relaxed setting, away from the office.

Any other highlights?

Rosie: The coffee break when you lit the Kelly Kettle and we all sat around chatting. Seeing how the trees we planted in January were doing – very well apart from the holly. Visiting the Publow Oak was amazing. The time spent at Great Avon Wood was fantastic as it gave us hope for the future. 

From an organisational perspective, what’s been good about partnering with ANT? 

Jamie: It’s been so good getting everyone together with their varied professional perspectives. For example, the ecologists brought their perspectives on habitat creation and Biodiversity Net Gain, which is a very important area of our work for planning applications. The landscape architects look at the character of a site and focus on designing places to help people connect with their local environment. The visualisation team are interested in how projects and planting are going to change over the next 5, 10 and 15 years, as tree planting matures. The finance team was equally happy to be out of the office! So, we all did the same activities, but with different perspectives and this led to great discussions over lunch and in the pub afterwards.

Did the team learn anything new?

Jamie: As an office we haven’t done this kind of physical volunteering work before, so it was new for us as a company.  Getting involved at the early stages of the Great Avon Wood has sparked some interesting conversations about new woodland creation. During our September visit it was great to see the seedling nursery – a low cost, low carbon solution to obtaining local plants for the woodland.

Rosie: It made us think about what we specify in our designs and how this is scaled up for bigger projects. We were interested to discuss emerging technologies such as the non-plastic tree guards that are being used by ANT. It was really useful to see elements we specify day-to-day being put into practice in the woodland.

Does the partnership with ANT help you meet your ESG goals?

Partnering with ANT aligns with our Corporate and Social Responsibility Policy, and Environmental and Sustainability Policy, to promote environmental enhancement and supporting local communities. We occasionally give our professional expertise on a Pro Bono basis. For example, we helped to design a garden for a local charity, The Golden-Oldies, at a school in Bath. 

As well as the days on site with ANT, we have given Pro Bono support for the new Lower Chew Forest, with Simon, our Managing Director, carrying out a Strategic Landscape Appraisal of the site and the proposals. It’s been exciting to consider how the new 420-acre woodland will change the landscape over time. It has been really good to start a conversation with ANT about our experiences with Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), and we will be interested to hear more, as ANT becomes a supplier of BNG credits in the region. 

What’s next for Nicholas Pearson Associates and Avon Needs Trees?

Jamie: Well, we are looking forward to attending the Lower Chew Forest vision update in Bristol this week and let’s take it from there!

We would like to give a big thank you to Nicholas Pearson Associates for all their support – it really makes a difference to our work here at Avon Needs Trees. If you’re feeling inspired and would like to find out more about how your business can support Avon Needs Trees, head to our Business Supporters page.