WJA’s bio-diversity campaign grows…and grows!

The Water Association’s initiative to help its members boost biodiversity is showing signs of strong growth – with trees planted only months ago shooting up already.

The WJA is working with rewilding organisation Make It Wild to plant trees in a way that maximises the bio-diversity of the woodland created, encouraging plant, animal and insect wildlife to flourish.

Pictures and a video sent by Make It Wild to the WJA’s HQ shows the campaign is flourishing.

WJA members ‘are improving bio-diversity’

WJA Director Leanne Smith said: “We’re ready pleased to see the trees planted on behalf of the WJA and our members are thriving. In fact some are already six feet tall!

“This is a particularly helpful way to offset the carbon generated by our activities, because Make It Wild is dedicated to improving bio-diversity as well, so wildlife is boosted as well.”

Make it Wild, based in Yorkshire, offers a wide range of ways organisations can support its rewilding programme by off-setting carbon in multiples of 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide generated.

The WJA, the member organisation for the UK water jetting industry, has committed to planting a tree for every member it has at the end of each year’s membership renewal period on 31st of March.

WJA makes growing commitment

For the first year, it meant Make It Wild planted 180 new trees at its Rowan Tree Farm reserve in Derbyshire. This will offset 660 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2e).

However, as the WJA is enjoying record membership growth, the WJA’s contribution to tackling climate change will grow over time.

This is the first annual report received by the WJA on the impact of its contribution to the Make It Wild carbon offset programme, which has already resulted in 70,000 trees being planted at locations in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Norfolk.

By mid-May 2025, the total carbon dioxide absorbed by the organisation’s trees since 2011 was over 10 million kg of CO2e.