Before we can supply your trees there are a few bits of essential information we need from you, specifically where the trees are going to be planted. This guide should help you supply everything we need. Once this is done, we will process your order.

1. Latitude and Longitude / grid Reference / what3words

The most straightforward way to obtain coordinates – specifically the latitude and longitude – for your planting area/s is to use Google Maps. Locate your site on the map, then right click (or Control + click on a Mac) to bring up a short menu. The numbers at the top of this list are your coordinates, and you can select to copy to the clipboard. Your coordinates will comprise two decimal numbers – for example, 51.501050 , -0.14245043. Be aware that the longitude (i.e. the second number) is likely to be preceded by a ‘-‘ sign anywhere in the UK that is west of Greenwich.

It is possible to obtain an OS grid reference using Ordnance Survey’s website for free and without registering. Simply access the map viewer (explore.osmaps.com), locate your site and right click / Control-click to bring up the grid reference which can be copied and pasted into our webform. The grid reference will consist of two letters and ten digits – for example, TQ 29030 79648.

Or you can use the what3words website to obtain a w3w address, a combination of three words that identifies a specific 3 m square – for example, same.happy.nobody.

2. Map or aerial view of the planting area

This can be a screenshot of a Google map, as above, or a similarly detailed map format. To help us understand your project please include an X at the point where you took your photographic evidence (see point 3). Arrows can help indicate the direction the photo is taken in.

3. Photographic evidence.

Please submit at least one photo of the wider planting area, but the more photographs the better. Remember we have never been to your site and need to be clear about the planting location. A couple of photographs can give us all the information we need.

Google Street View is not suitable; we must have a recent photo of the site taken in-situ, at ground level and encapsulating as much of the planting area as possible.

The following photos are taken from the spots marked with pink crosses in the image above. The first photo captures the whole length of the planting area.

The second and third photos are taken from either end of the planting area to give some perspective. In both images there are landmarks such as the footpath, existing trees, exercise equipment and a fence.

Once you have planted we will also ask for some ‘after’ photos of the trees in situ; any landmarks will help you to repeat the photos from roughly the same position.

Example of photographic evidence for tree planting
Example of photographic evidence for tree planting

Watch this short video with Hattie from the NHS Forest team as she goes through the process of how to submit evidence.

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