Sponsor Content Created With
The ancient stretch of the Yorkshire Dales being revitalised by the Woodland Trust
In the space of a few years, the Woodland Trust have already begun to transform Snaizeholme. Now they urgently need your help to take this wonderful project on to the next stage.
Right at the very heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park lies Snaizeholme. Wild, beautiful and unspoilt, this 1,386-acre stretch of Wensleydale is a haven for nature and wildlife, and one of just a handful of spots in England where red squirrels thrive.
Five years ago, the Woodland Trust stepped in to buy this land, with the intention of protecting and expanding this precious habitat. In the years since then, they have planted thousands of trees across the Snaizeholme Estate and extended the red squirrel habitat from just under 40 acres to over 700 acres.
It’s already a wonderful and inspiring success story, but there’s still much more that can be done. An opportunity has arisen to expand this project by adding a further 250 acres of adjoining land to Snaizeholme, which would make it the Woodland Trust’s largest site in England.
To make this happen, the Woodland Trust’s Snaizeholme appeal has set a fund-raising target of £4.86 million, money which will pay for the three new tracts of land, and secure the funding needed for their ongoing management.
All this has to happen quickly, however: the window of opportunity to buy the land won't be open for long. For donors who are UK taxpayers, though, the urgency could prove to be a blessing: as we approach the end of the tax year in April, there's still time to take advantage of the tax relief scheme that provides an added incentive to donate. It can save you tax and maximise the value of your donation to this wonderful Woodland Trust project.
The chance to make a real difference is huge. Snaizeholme is a landscape of riverside pastures, wooded valley sides, peat bogs and limestone pavement, coming together to form a diverse mix of wildlife-rich habitats. What had been largely missing were trees.
Once home to dense woodland, Snaizeholme had been almost entirely deforested over the centuries, with tree cover of less than 5%. The Woodland Trust have been hard at work putting the balance right. In the past three years they have planted over 700 acres of trees across this beautiful stretch of Yorkshire, which are developing into a thriving home for wildlife. The majority of the land the Trust now want to buy is currently being used to grow commercial conifers and red squirrels have already been spotted there.
Red squirrels aren’t the only endangered species set to benefit from the continuation and expansion of the project at Snaizeholme. Restoration of the upland landscape will help the increasingly rare black grouse, while other species including curlews and several species of owl — tawny, barn and little owls all nest here — will gain new habitat.
The red squirrel habitat at Snaizeholme has been expanded from 40 acres to over 700 acres.
The trees will never blanket Snaizeholme, but wooded areas will expand in line with the Trust’s careful approach to planting. There will be groves, glades and open woodlands that gently transition into and connect with the other habitats, all delivered without the use of plastic tree guards or herbicides.
You can support the Woodland Trust Snaizeholme Appeal via this link or by using this QR code.
The total number of trees to be planted isn’t arbitrarily decided at the start of each phase of the project, but instead determined as the work develops, with experts from the University of Leeds and the University of York consulting at each step of the way.
To keep pushing on with these efforts, and to revitalise the Snaizeholme Valley for red squirrels and other rare species, the Woodland Trust needs your help. Visit woodlandtrust.org.uk/snaizeholmeappeal to support this urgent appeal.
Find out more at woodlandtrust.org.uk/snaizeholmeappeal.
Further information:
Tax relief is available to UK donors paying higher rates of income tax (40% or 45% for tax year 2025/26). This enables you to reclaim the difference between the basic rate and the highest rate of tax on the gross value of your gift via your self-assessment tax return. If you do not fill in a self-assessment tax return, you can obtain your tax relief by calling HMRC on 0300 200 3300 and having your tax code amended. You can then either keep any money reclaimed or donate it back to the charity. Please note that tax rates and regulations do change and the information below is correct as of December 2025. This information does not constitute professional tax, legal, or financial advice. Seek advice from a qualified tax advisor before taking any action.
-
Why does the discovery of ‘Port Talbot’s Pompeii’ matter?The discovery of a Roman villa at Margam, outside Port Talbot in Wales, generated huge amounts of publicity, but the press failed to get to the heart of why it matters.
-
'First, all the Georgian silver goes, and then all that furniture. Then, the Canalettos go': The anatomy of a country-house saleCountry-house sales used to be the preserve of Sotheby’s and Christie’s. Now the choice is far wider, Huon Mallalieu shares his top tips on where and how to disperse a collection.
-
Plant trees for pollinators in need with the Woodland TrustWe can’t live without the industrious insects that pollinate our crops and support our ecosystem. Many of their populations are in decline, but you can help by creating a haven of nectar and nesting sites on your land this planting season.
-
The Welsh WaySustainable, ethical and unmatched for taste, Welsh Lamb is as good as meat gets.
-
How planting trees can fight flooding and improve your soilRecord-breaking rainfall and a changing climate convinced Leicestershire farmer Rachael Spence that she needed to find a way to combat flooding and improve her soil. The answer? Planting more trees, which have helped reduce flood risk and future-proof her land and business.
-
Planning beyond your futureThe number of people being hit by inheritance tax has soared in recent years, yet many of us have no idea if our beneficiaries will be liable and what to do if we are. The experts at Investec Wealth & Investment (UK) can help.
-
The call of the wild, from gliding past hippos on a mokoro to riding alongside cheetahs and giraffesWhether following migrating wildebeest on foot, gliding past hippos on a mokoro, or riding alongside giraffes, little beats the thrill of an Aardvark safari.
-
The safaris that deliver wild encounters for the whole familyAardvark Safaris create tailor-made wildlife trips in Africa to thrill all ages.
-
Restore the natural balance on your land with treesPlanting trees isn't just about how they look — they can help increase biodiversity, provide shelter, prevent soil erosion, reduce flooding and much more, as more and more farmers are finding.
-
The Country Life colour edit, with Wallpaper Direct and Designer PaintWhen decorating a country home, Wallpaper Direct and Designer Paint make a huge range of inspiring wallpapers and paints available at the press of a button.
