A Yorkshire Dales charity has been helped towards its target of planting one million trees by a gift of £2,000 by a local firm which makes up-market paper goods.

Otley-based stationery manufacturer, Sinclairs, handed over a cheque for £2,000 to support the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust’s ongoing programme of woodland restoration. The money was raised from sales of Sinclair’s new range of forest–friendly FSC notebooks and pads. The donation will help plant around 500 new ash, oak, rowan, alder and other native trees.

Over the last 13 years the YDMT, has worked in partnership with the Forestry Commission, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and landowners to address widespread deforestation in the Dales caused mainly by the create of sheep pasturelands in the 19th century.

Their aim is to double natural woodland cover by 2020.

David Sharrod, Director of YDMT, says: “Woodland restoration is not just about planting trees. In the Yorkshire Dales it’s also about restoring a lost part of our natural landscape. The Dales now has less broadleaf woodland than any other national park.

“We still need more donations to reach our target of one million trees this winter – and hope that more businesses will follow Sinclair’s example and help us to put more natural woodlands back on the map.”

YDMT are urging other businesses to join the campaign, and support them in their bid to plant their millionth tree. For more information, call 015242 51002 or visit www.ydmt.org