Our target is to plant 100,000 trees this decade
In the 2025/26 planting season, Willmott Dixon supported the planting of 10,000 trees across the UK, split equally between community-led planting with The Conservation Volunteers and climate-resilient woodland planting with GreenTheUK.
With more than 64,500 trees planted since 2020, we remain firmly on track towards our target of 100,000 trees by 2030.
Community action with The Conservation Volunteers
Through our partnership with The Conservation Volunteers, we funded 5,000 trees through the I Dig Trees programme in 2025/26 - the equivalent of six wildlife-friendly ‘pocket forests’. The programme gives local volunteers and community groups a direct role in creating greener places, helping people feel invested in the spaces they use.
Our 2025/26 support helped deliver:
- 43,065m² covered by newly planted trees
- 19 community groups involved
- 323 volunteers engaged
- 1,938 volunteer hours committed
- 100 packs of mixed native trees
- An estimated 1,900 tonnes of CO₂ saved over the trees’ lifetime
This year’s pledge also saw Willmott Dixon recognised as a Gold Planting Supporter, reflecting our continued support for practical, community-led environmental action.
Climate-resilient planting with GreenTheUK
Alongside our work with TCV, we continued our partnership with GreenTheUK, supporting the planting of 5,000 mixed-species climate-resilient trees in 2025/26. This brings Willmott Dixon’s total support through GreenTheUK to 21,732 mixed-species climate-resilient trees, including 300 trees planted in local schools.
GreenTheUK’s approach focuses on the long-term health of UK woodlands. By planting a broader mix of native, naturalised and carefully selected non-native species, woodland habitats become better able to withstand pests, disease and extreme weather, while also supporting biodiversity.
Right tree, right place, right reason
Both partnerships follow the Forestry Commission principle of 'right tree, right place, right reason'. For Willmott Dixon, this means planting with purpose, not just planting for numbers.
The 2025/26 season adds another 10,000 trees to Willmott Dixon’s growing total. More importantly, it shows how tree planting can deliver wider value when it is planned carefully and delivered with the right partners.
Through TCV, communities are creating new green spaces close to home. Through GreenTheUK, UK woodlands are becoming more diverse and resilient. Both approaches support our ambition to leave a positive environmental legacy in the places where we work.
“Successful projects should create benefits that extend beyond the buildings we deliver. Our partnerships with TCV and GreenTheUK help make that possible by supporting communities to restore nature, create richer habitats and strengthen local environments.
“Thanks to our partners and the volunteers whose commitment is helping create a lasting legacy for both people and wildlife.”
- Jonathan Ayton, Principal Sustainability Manager
(PIC: Jonathan Ayton, left, tree planting with Willmott Dixon Chief Sustainability Officer, Mike Cross, at Paradise Fields, Greenford).
