Scotland’s largest and most ambitious net zero carbon campaign has unveiled an empowering new look to mark the countdown to COP26 in Glasgow as support for mass tree planting grows.
Billion Trees Scotland – the main focus of Kaitiaki Consulting’s efforts to help rewild Scotland’s native forests, restore natural habitats and enhance biodiversity – was launched earlier this year as organisers set out their plans of action.
Since then the group has joined forces with Smart PA to launch the Centre for Strategic Climate Solutions and also attracted financial backing from shareholders keen to find alternatives to fossil fuel investments and who want to support climate action instead.
That has led to plans for a new awareness campaign to be launched in the New Year and the development of a new brand identity, through the commissioning of one of the country’s most talented designers.
Edinburgh-based David Hamburgh was chosen from a shortlist of other established design firms and worked closely on a brief for Kaitiaki Consulting.
Using a combination of strong typography and design elements, he styled the logo so its leaves would take on a seed-like appearance pointing in multiple directions to spread life, growth and development in far reaching directions – a message at the very heart of the campaign.
His use of roots helps illustrate a campaign with strong foundations, harking back to Scotland’s ancestral roots when the country was abundant with life and biodiversity. The choice of ‘heritage’ colours brings a rounded appeal.
Head of Media and marketing Shaun Milne said: “We couldn’t be happier with the concept Dave has pulled together.
“It really brings our campaign to life with the right weighting of urgency, ambition and gravitas and is a great showcase for his amazing talent.”
“Dave, like our friends and LinksStreet Design and Digital Communications who created our website, really get what we are trying to build and achieve and it’s been a terrific process from beginning to end and we look forward to working on more ideas in the year ahead.”
“Amid the tragedy of COVID-19, the importance of the Holyrood election and opportunity of COP26 in whatever form it takes place, there may never be a more important time than now to focus minds, encourage action and ensure we collectively begin work on the biggest challenge of our lives.
“Billion Trees Scotland can be a force for the good that all those who share our vision for landscape scale conservation can be a part of, and we would encourage eNGOs and others around Scotland and beyond to work with us on delivering what we believe can become the biggest and most effective restoration effort in our history.”
ROOT CAUSE: What is Billion Trees Scotland?
Billion Trees Scotland is a campaign to plant a billion native species trees in Scotland to fight climate change, restore habitats and help biodiversity thrive.
It is based on an idea engaged by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and is a proven and effective model of delivery which can be replicated here.
Kaitiaki Consulting has set out to work with progressive businesses, landowners, eNGOs to establish Regional Climate Funds to pay for the work and lift the cost burden from local authorities and communities.
The team will then work towards a billion trees being planted and managed over ten years with devolved growth centres in each area to ensure maximum and localised benefits.
CLIMATE FOCUS: Why carbon sequestration?
Tree planting is the most effective, proven and cost neutral way to take CO2 out of the atmosphere and help achieve net zero targets under the frameworks of the Paris Agreement.
The right trees, in the right places, can sequester huge amounts of carbon – around one tonne per tree or our ambition of a billion tonnes for a billion trees.
Peatland restoration which we will also be involved in works in a similar fashion. Both have significant and lasting benefits for biodiversity.
By working with organisations we can offset their carbon emissions as they transition to a cleaner future, and in doing so create entirely new areas of forest rewilding Scotland naturally.
This is landscape-scale ecological habitat restoration for the good of the country and planet.
CAMPAIGN FACTS: A Greener Future
Our campaign has already helped create 20 green new jobs in forestry, habitat restoration, ecology, botany, ecological economics, ornithology, soil science, mammalogy, landscape architecture, entomology, herpetology and mycology.
This work is in line with the ambitions of the Green New Deal and the post COVID-19 Green Recovery programme, and supports both the UK and Scottish Government ambitions of a net zero carbon future.
It has led to Scotland becoming home to the Centre for Strategic Climate Solutions of which we are a proud founding member, geared towards new climate centred collaborations for the common good.
We have already helped raise awareness through pro-active national media activity, launched a new podcast series with environmental partners and are developing other avenues of telling the story.
GET INVOLVED: What you can do now
Keep talking: Get in touch and we can arrange a meeting to discuss how we could create a strategic carbon solution for your organisation and explain more about how it works.
Go further: Seize the opportunity of growing your own large-scale forest to leave a lasting, living legacy for generations to come. Become a climate conscious pioneer and leader.
Get involved: We have released a limited number of 200 shares at £500 each for those who want to support our work in another way, for a short extended time only, all of which allows us to build on our work so far,
Talk hard: Like what you see, then share our mission and values with your friends, family and contacts, with our thanks.
Billion Trees Scotland campaign
