Epping Forest habitats are of national and international conservation importance. However, the Forest’s ancient trees, hosts to hundreds of species, from wood-boring insects to birds of prey are under threat from competing younger trees which block the sun’s rays from reaching the ancient trees. Also, following a 300% rise in Forest visitors during Covid, many trees have very hard ground around them. This compacted ground from mountain bikes and trampling is suffocating the tree roots and they desperately need your help if they are to remain a magnificent part of the Forest’ ecology, landscape and heritage.
You can ensure these magnificent trees thrive for hundreds of years to come
We want to carry out hands-on conservation work to save 50 ancient trees in Epping Forest. Working with volunteers we will carry out vital hands-on conservation sessions to release at least 50 ancient trees from shade and compacted soil – creating a “Halo” around them. This will increase each tree’s lifespan enabling increased biodiversity and protecting and preserving the Forest.
Double your impact: donate between 20-27 April
We are thrilled to be part of this year’s Big Give Green Match Fund. The Big Give will donate us £2,500 in match funding if we raise £2,500 to meet our overall goal of £5,000. This means that every £1 you donate between 20-27th April will be matched – doubling your gift and the impact we can make! Large or small, every gift will make a difference.
How you can help
- Donate through our Big Give campaign web page between 20-27th April 2023
- Spread the word about this vital appeal: share it on your social media profiles, or with your connections. Help inspire more people to help save Epping Forest’s ancient trees.
Double your impact - Save Epping Forest's ancient trees
You can ensure these magnificent trees thrive for hundreds of years to come. Help us reach £2,500 by midday 27th of April and this will be matched to £5,000!
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Big Give and what is the Green Match Fund?
Big Give is a leading online match funding platform. It runs match funding campaigns for charities and special causes at key moments across the year. By connecting charities to funders (like philanthropists, foundations or corporates) and the public, helps them double their donations. And, in doing so, makes an extraordinary difference to the world’s biggest challenges.
Big Give’s Green Match Fund is designed specifically for charities working on environmental issues. This is an opportunity to make an extraordinary difference to some of the biggest challenges facing our planet today.
How does it work?
We need your help with our fundraising campaign: ‘Halo 50’ – saving Epping Forest’s ancient trees. Donating couldn’t be easier! Every donation made between 20th – 27th April will be matched – doubling the value of your gift and the impact we can make!
The Big Give will donate us £2,500 in match funding if we raise £2,500 to meet our overall goal of £5,000. This means that every £1 you donate will be doubled! Large or small, every gift will make a difference.
How did EFHT get selected?
We submitted our application to be part of the Big Give Green Match Fund 2023 at the beginning of the year. Following the application, Big Give works alongside its Champions to assess the information submitted by charities. This includes due diligence checks. It also passes applications on to a panel of experts who review and assign Champion funding to charity campaigns. All charities and campaigns selected by Big Give have been through a vetting process.
Why are you carrying out this project not City of London?
Epping Forest is owned and managed by City of London Corporation. However, City of London Epping Forest team does not undertake the kind of conservation work that we, and our volunteers undertake, and therefore works with us, and other volunteer organisations, to deliver careful hands-on conservation work to increase the biodiversity of the Forest.
Geoff Sinclair, their Head of Operations has explained the process:
“I am pleased to confirm that the volunteer works program at Epping Forest is very much over and above the core work that EF [the City of London Epping Forest team] would undertake. The Volunteer delivered works allow greater focus on some tasks than we would normally undertake and allows for a much higher standard of delivery than we would normally achieve. The increased task ownership in local areas also allows additional work to be delivered in those areas than we would normally be able to achieve, eg at Highams Park volunteers from the EFHT initiated work to create landscape views from the formal park to the lake which local residents through another volunteer group have subsequently maintained. This work has opened the Park up for more people to explore and is widely appreciated but is a project that we would never have undertaken had it not been for the volunteer support. This is important with tasks in more visible areas and also with some particular habitat management operations, eg pond management and heathland restoration are habitat management tasks where the added focus volunteer teams bring is particularly beneficial.
Volunteer work is also important as it helps local people understand and engage with the Forest. This brings with it several positive benefits that we are keen to achieve, but again it is not something that falls within our normal operation. In our more recent operational strategies, we clearly identify areas of activity where the City recognises the benefit of certain activities but these fall outside our core program. The work of volunteer groups, such as EFHT, are an important resource to move these aspirations forward.”
How do I donate?
Donate through our Big Give campaign page between 20-27th April 2023. Help us to reach £2,500 by midday 27th of April and get your generosity doubled!