Trees of Time and Place (TOTAP) is a millennium initiative operating in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to encourage people to plant saplings and to recognise the importance of trees and woodland in the local environment.

Britain, like many other countries, has a strong tree heritage and her wooded areas are crucial for wildlife and air quality. The top quarter of a mature beech tree, for example, can produce enough oxygen to meet the needs of three adult humans. An English oak will typically provide a living environment for around 300 species of insect.

TOTAP is a coalition of over 100 organisations, incorporating charities, non-departmental government bodies (quangos) and private sector companies.

How you Can Participate

Volunteers are asked to return to a tree or wooded place that holds a personal significance and collect seeds to grow over the winter. The following spring you should find somewhere to plant the saplings, returning regularly to care for them until they are well established.

The Trees of Time and Place Website is full of useful information on how you can grow different types of trees indigenous to the British Isles. It also contains a pledge form for registering your interest in the scheme and a map for finding a planting site if you do not have an alternative home for your saplings.