AN ambitious plan to plant 50,000 trees in a part of the Yorkshire Dales is under way by the National Trust.

Throughout April, contractors, National Trust rangers and a number of volunteer groups planted more than 35,000 native trees and shrubs on Malham Moor, as part of a plan to create a more natural upland environment.

And they are due to plant a further 15,000 over the next winter.

The sheer volume of trees planted, alongside other changes planned with the farmers on Malham Moor, will enhance nature, encouraging new species into the area, as well as helping to maintain farm business and contributing other benefits.

The planting project has been conducted in partnership with the National Trust’s tenant farmers and funded in part, thanks to a grant from WREN’s FCC Biodiversity Action Fund from funds donated by FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.

National Trust cares for 8,300 hectares of land in the Yorkshire Dales at Malham Tarn and in Upper Wharfedale and works to create a balance of conservation with access across this outstanding area of limestone habitats, blanket peat, flower-rich hay meadows and hill farms.

Now, it has adopted an innovative approach in a bid to find longer-term solutions for the Dales uplands.

National Trust ecologist Peter Welsh said: “This is a very exciting project. With the help and enthusiasm of our tenant farmers we are creating a much richer and more natural environment at the same time as working to maintain farm businesses and the best of what we love about the past.”

A history of heavy livestock grazing has meant this area has been without any significant native trees and shrubs for a long time and a key aim of the tree planting is to create a light and patchy cover of shrubs and ‘wood pasture’ within a landscape that is still lightly grazed by livestock.

Peter added: “The tree planting together with changes to lighter livestock grazing systems, which have been agreed with the farmers and Natural England, and works to restore the blanket bogs on the hill tops, will result in a host of benefit.

"With climate change looming, plants, birds and other animals will be better able to adapt and use this varied environment. More carbon will be trapped and stored in the system, helping reduce greenhouse gases and the rougher and spongier ground surface will slow the flow of rainwater off the land thereby helping to reduce downstream flood peaks. We also think this will ultimately become a more attractive countryside for visitors.”

The plantings will include species like hawthorn, hazel, oak, birches, willows, rowan, alder, holly, bird cherry and juniper.

For more information, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/malhamtarnestate