This week’s Big Give Christmas Challenge is CPRE London’s most ambitious ever.

We’re campaigning for an M25 for nature. We need your help to surround London with a life-enriching ring of trees, including woodland, hedgerows and urban orchards. Support this project this week and your donation will be matched and so stretch twice as far.

Our proposed route is based on research into underlying habitat and current recorded land-uses. It links existing woodland with key woodland creation opportunities, and also considers other areas where there is tree cover, or clear scope to grow more.

With the help of many friends groups we've identified more than 100 opportunity sites for woodland creation so far. But now we have a clearer line for potential connected habitat around the capital we want to zoom in and take a much closer look at more sites enroute to verify their suitability.

We also need to get input from landowners to explore how increasing tree planting could fit with their wider plans. We’ve started to connect with relevant staff at local authorities, as well as talking to major private landowners in London’s Green Belt, but further work is needed.

We’ve done research into accelerating urban tree planting and sought to learn from successes and mistakes worldwide. One of the most successful approaches, and one we think is right for London, is a Community Forest type model, which involves working closely with communities, landowners and businesses to plant trees and connect up a rich mosaic of habitat - always mindful of how planting can benefit people as well as the planet.

To pursue this goal we’ve established a tree ring steering group made of leading organisations involved in tree planting and woodland management across the capital. Our plans with this group include developing a way to better coordinate how we work together to inspire landowners to make their landholdings work harder for the environment.

To support this campaign, please give before midday on Dec 5th and your donation will be doubled in value. One donation – twice the impact!

Give now by clicking here.

Very best wishes for the coming festive season.