Our award-winning Woodland Saver Accounts (previously named 'Green Saver') support the creation of new woodlands in the United Kingdom and help you achieve a competitive return on your savings. For every Fixed Term Deposit or Fixed Term Cash ISA account you open or renew, we will plant a tree in a certified UK woodland project on your behalf, at no cost to you.
The planting of trees to create new woodlands is an important part of the effort to combat climate change and environmental degradation. Trees planted through the Woodland Saver tree planting scheme permanently “lock up” or sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in their wood and the soil of the woodland where they grow.
Tree planting through our Woodland Saver Accounts is certified by the UK Government’s Woodland Carbon Code, which offers you the assurance that planting will deliver the carbon saving claimed, and that the trees represent genuine new planting. Compliance with the Code also means that we know the right type of trees have been planted in the right place, and that the woodlands are sustainably managed and are protected in the long-term.
Planting trees to grow UK woodlands offers a host of other benefits to the environment and the community, including:
Your Woodland Saver Account tree will be planted in one of nine specific UK woodland projects through our tree planting partner, Forest Carbon:
Jon's Wood, Crook, County Durham
Species planted: Alder, Birch and Oak
Jon's Wood is a native woodland, adjacent to Crook Golf Club on the outskirts of Crook town. As the woodland matures it will be visible to much of the town.
The project as a whole is just under 10 hectares, with 23,625 trees set to capture over 7,200 tonnes CO2 over their lifetimes, as well as providing significant biodiversity benefits and linking to an existing area of mature woodland.
Lowther Whale, Penrith, Cumbria
Species planted: Birch, Cherry, Hawthorn, Hazel, Maple and Oak
Lowther Whale is the creation of a high biodiversity value woodland pasture mosaic. Originally grazing land, the fields will form a mixture of small woodland copses interspersed with flower rich meadows. The variety of the landscape will ensure habitat for a wide variety of wildlife including farmland, grassland and woodland species. Situated within the Lake District National Park, this project will also enhance the landscape for locals and the many tourists who visit each year.
Wester Coshieville, Aberfeldy, Perthshire
Species planted: Aspen, Downy Birch, Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Oak, and Rowan
The vision at Wester Coshieville is to restore and enhance an area of native woodland through the creation of a new upland oak wood. Other species will be planted both within the oak wood, to ensure that it supports a wide diversity of wildlife, and out with it, to enhance existing stands of native trees. In addition to sequestering carbon, this project will increase the overall connectivity of woodland habitats within Highland Perthshire and be a fantastic resource for locals and tourists to enjoy.
Talla & Gameshope, Moffat, Borders
Species planted: Alder, Aspen, Birch, Hawthorn, Holly, Juniper, Oak, Rowan and Willow
Talla & Gameshope offers a rare opportunity to restore a large area of upland habitat to a more natural state. Its southern end of the property borders both the Trust’s Carrifran Wildwood and the National Trust for Scotland’s extensive Grey Mare’s Tail Estate.
For centuries, Talla & Gameshope was an upland sheep farm. The impact of this land management style on fragile upland habitats is seen. Native woodlands once thrived along the valley bottoms but over time these woods were cleared, and steady livestock grazing ensured the trees could not regenerate naturally. This project aims to restore this environment.
Sarah’s Wood
Species planted: Alder, Birch, Oak, Sycamore and Willow
Sarah’s Wood is a new native woodland creation which has been sited next to existing woodland. It was formally land that was used for agricultural purposes, primarily silage cutting, so it will extend the existing woodland. This increased habitat will be beneficial to local biodiversity such as red squirrels and various forms of birdlife. The woodland will sequester a significant amount of carbon over its lifetime and carbon finance was critical to the project proceeding. An additional benefit of this planting is the amenity value it provides to the local community.
Acheilidh
Species planted: Alder, Birch, Rowan, Scots Pine and Willow
Acheilidh is an ambitious native woodland creation project, where former rough grazing land is being transformed into a Scots pinewood, the climax habitat in the north of Scotland. Native pinewoods, sometimes referred to as Caledonian Pinewoods or the Caledonian Forest, once covered vast swathes of Scotland, from the southern Highlands to the northwest coastline. Over time, their distribution has waned and now only fragments of this ecosystem remain. However, the pinewoods are still critical for a whole host of animals and plants, which are found nowhere else in the UK. As a result, the creation of this native pinewood at Acheilidh will deliver important biodiversity benefits, eventually providing a home for charismatic species like pine marten, red squirrel, black grouse and scottish crossbill.
Hopecarton
Species planted: Alder, Aspen, Beech, Birch, Cherry, Hawthorn, Juniper, Oak, Rowan, Willow, Norway Spruce and Scots Pine
Hopecarton Burn is former upland sheep grazing land that has been planted with a mix of predominantly broadleaf woodland. The aim is to create a mosaic of silvicultural systems according to tree species type for sustainable timber production. Broadleaves will be under a continuous cover model where programmed thinning is applied, creating a natural, all-aged, forest; conifers will be under a fell and restock model.
Corriechuillie
Species planted: Scots Pine, Alder, Aspen, Birch, Rowan and Willow
The vision at Corriechuillie is to take low-grade agricultural land out of productive use, to create an area of native woodland for conservation and biodiversity. The project will create excellent habitat for a variety of wildlife. Initially, black grouse will benefit from the young, establishing trees. As the woodland matures, it will also become suitable for the critically endangered capercaillie, our largest species of grouse, as well as pine marten and potentially Scottish wildcats, too. The scheme was designed with low density planting on the southern and northern edges, native upland birch in patches around the perimeter and a core of native Scots pine. This design will provide visual and ecological diversity, helping to substantially retain views from the public road and also reduce the risk of predation on breeding waders.
Tom’s Wood
Species planted: Alder, Birch, Sycamore, Cherry and Willow
The vision for Tom’s Wood is to create a new native woodland that supports local biodiversity and improves woodland habitat connectivity in the surrounding area. In addition to these ecological benefits the whole woodland will also sequester over 14,000 tonnes of CO2e during it’s growing lifetime, and bind the soil beneath its canopy, protecting it from erosion during heavy rain events, which are predicated to become more frequent as the climate warms during the coming decades.
Our tree planting partner
We are working with Forest Carbon to grow UK woodlands with our Woodland Saver Account holders. Forest Carbon leads the way in developing woodlands and peatland restoration projects for carbon capture and ecosystem services. Through the planting of over 13 million new trees in 275+ new woodlands in the UK since 2006, the projects will sequester over 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. The quality of Forest Carbon’s schemes is assured by the UK Government’s Woodland Carbon Code.
Your tree will be planted in one of these nine UK woodland projects
Habitat for Red Squirrels
With their distinctive russet fur, the native red squirrel is a captivating sight. The introduction of the grey squirrel caused the numbers of native red squirrels to plummet. One of the project sites for our Woodland Saver tree planting scheme is Lowther Whale. Nestled in the Lake District this land is at the heart of Cumbria’s red squirrel stronghold. Thanks to this project’s use of sensitive forest management practices, red squirrels are thriving here. As the new woodland matures, the red squirrel’s habitat will flourish.
What is the Woodland Carbon Code?
The Woodland Carbon Code delivers externally verified projects, certified by UKAS accredited bodies to ISO standards, that offer tangible social and environmental benefits; it is the only standard of its kind in the UK. The Code offers our customers the assurance that Woodland Saver tree planting projects will deliver the benefits claimed, and that the woodland represents genuine new planting.
Each project developed under the Code is registered with the independent Markit Registry, a leading provider of global carbon and environmental credit registry services. Projects are certified to ISO standards by a UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) accredited third party and an ongoing monitoring programme for the woodlands is agreed between the parties.
You can read more detailed information about our Woodland Saver Tree Planting Scheme here.
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