Woodlands are being planted in the Yorkshire Dales to create wildlife habitats as part of a partnership that aims to spark a lifelong passion for nature in children.

Leeds Building Society is dedicating a newly planted tree for every child’s savings account opened at one of its branches, as part of its partnership with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT). The Society has also dedicated additional trees to the project, one for every colleague, meaning 2,500 new trees have so far been pledged.

The partnership aims to get children interested in nature and ways to protect the environment, while also creating resilient woodland that can help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Volunteers from the Society have been helping to plant new woodlands at The Hawes, on moorland high above Settle and at Whashton Wood in Richmond. Planting has also taken place at Bargh Wood near Stainforth.

Nick Young, chief strategy and insight officer at Leeds Building Society, said: “These beautiful woodlands will provide a wonderful legacy for our young savers, giving them the opportunity to see their dedicated trees grow alongside their savings.

“We also hope our partnership with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) will spark an interest in the environment and a connection with nature that will last a lifetime. I’d like to thank our volunteers who have given their time to help plant these woodlands, demonstrating the Society’s green commitment by linking our products with direct environmental action.”

Michael Devlin, deputy chief executive of YDMT said: “Planting trees is one of the best things we can do to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Trees sequester carbon, create habitat for wildlife and provide breathing spaces we can all enjoy.

“Colleagues at Leeds Building Society have helped to create two woodlands this winter that will thrive for generations to come. We were delighted to have almost 60 colleagues planting with us, not only creating woodlands that will help to transform the landscape and provide places for our communities to visit, but to also benefit from the time spent out in nature as a team.”

The partnership hopes to inspire more families to connect with nature and enjoy these spaces for health and wellbeing and help them understand the importance of trees in reducing our impact on the environment and risks from climate change.