Going back to school can be daunting at the best of times, with trying to choose a new pencil case and hoping to sit next to your best friend at lunch. During a pandemic, this period can be even more stressful, so it’s important to have exciting experiences to look forward to. Bringing a little hope and anticipation to this term, is the JUST ONE Tree Day on 15th October (or 1st October in Scotland). 

So far nearly 500 schools have taken part in the fundraising activities globally, leading to the planting of over 150,000 trees! Reforestation on this scale will create a greener future for the children who are taking part, helping them understand the challenges of climate change and empowering them to make a difference. ​

We were lucky enough to chat to Sarah, a teacher from All Saints Primary School, North London, who ran a JUST ONE Tree Day last year. Sarah described how hearing an inspirational talk by the JUST ONE Tree founder, Amanda Bronkhorst, inspired her to find out more about how she could make a difference and encourage her students to do the same. “I wanted to share that feeling of being able to make a difference with my children at school and their families”, she explained.

Sarah Roth, Teacher at All Saints Primary School, Whetstone

In terms of convincing staff at the school to host a JUST ONE Tree Day, she says “it was an easy win. I think for anyone, the prospect of being able to plant a tree for just one pound is such an achievable thing. The staff at my school were thrilled to be able to do their bit”. ​Teachers who are still deliberating may be motivated by showing them how the day ties in with the national curriculum on climate change and relates to their individual subjects. Sarah enthused that she and the other teachers were amazed at “how easily [the JUST ONE Tree message] crossed over so many of our curriculum subjects”.

There are numerous resources available for free to download on the JUST ONE Tree website, including packs for KS1 and KS2, an information pack and even a letter to your school.

How does the JUST ONE Tree Day work?
You can adapt the day so that it works for your school, even down to changing the day you hold the fundraising events. Sarah explained that at her school they started introducing the JUST ONE Tree ideas a few weeks before the JUST ONE Tree Day. “We structured our lessons to include the JUST ONE Tree message, so it fitted seamlessly into our wider curriculum,” and simultaneously, “educated the children about the importance of reforestation and the environment”. Sarah’s school also held a JUST ONE Tree assembly “which included music, geography, science, creative writing and art pieces that the children had produced”. 

Children from Seend CofE Primary School taking part in their JUST ONE Tree Day, 2019

The fundraising activities could include a non-uniform day, a ‘wear-green’ day, or, as Sarah suggested, “a tree-themed cake sale, sponsored activities, or an art competition”. The fundraising activities can be anything, as long as everyone knows that JUST ONE Tree will plant a tree for every pound donated, so people connect to the overall goal of combatting climate change through their day. 

The intention of the JUST ONE Tree Day is to empower children to take control of their future and show them that a greener future is possible. Sarah got her students excited by giving the “children ownership of the project by asking them for their ideas. That way they were engaged right from the start”. ​

Many educators, are looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of their school. This could include reducing the emissions through changing behaviour of staff and students, as well as compensating for emissions through reforestation projects like the partners of JUST ONE Tree. An annual JUST ONE Tree Day could be a great starting point to making your school more eco-friendly.

As for the day itself, Sarah reflected that “there was a wonderful and positive atmosphere in the school with staff and children enthusiastic and engaged”. Asked whether her school would hold a JUST ONE Tree Day again, Sarah has a message for us all: 

“repeating the events on an annual basis is absolutely critical to the future of the world.”