RSA Trees

The RSA Trees project was launched on 20 April 2004, working in partnership with the UK's key tree planting organisations, to mark its 250th Anniversary. It was aimed to ensure that the forests for future generations are well established and sustainable.

Background

From the 1750's through to the 1820's, the RSA encouraged tree planting across the UK. Well over 50 million trees were planted giving rise to many of the woods we enjoy in Britain today.

By the 18th century, Britain's great forests had been largely squandered, partly by the extravagant use of wood as domestic fuel and for industries such as iron-smelting, but mainly because it hadn’t occurred to anyone that a programme of replacement was necessary.

The position was made critical by the ever increasing demands of the Navy for more timber. So in 1755 the Society called for the "planting of timber trees in the commons and waste ground all over the Kingdom, for the supply of the Navy, the employment and advantage of the poor, as well as the ornamenting of the nation".

From 1757 the Society began offering premiums or prizes for tree planting. It specified the types to be planted beginning with Oak, Chest and Elm and followed by others including Weymouth Pine “being the properest for masts” – the list eventually reaching 17 varieties of trees useful for timber. The first award of a gold medal was made to the Duke of Beaufort for the planting of a million trees on his estate at Hawksbury, Gloucestershire.

By the time the last award was made in 1835 well over 50 million trees, and perhaps up to a 100 million if hedgerows etc were taken into account, had been planted as a result of the Society's initiative.

An article in Sylva Magazine at the beginning of the next century by Alexander Hunter praised the Society for "having greatly contributed by their honorary and pecuniary premiums, to restore the spirit of planting."