Trees for Life

If you’ve ever entered a TRB event, you will know we give our runners plenty options. We know that you’re all individuals, and we want your race entry to reflect you. Not everyone likes a t-shirt, or a medal. Such things are optional extras for TRB race entrants. We’ve recently added Notches to our options, alongside our charity donations and “Tee or Tree”, in partnership with Trees For Life

Tee or Tree

Tee or Tree started life in 2019, and was first made available alongside the inaugural South By Five series.

Bling and apparel is not of interest to all runners so we offer an environmentally friendlier option. We’ve given participants the option to donate a tree instead of taking a tee. Tee or Tree!

Since then, despite the lock-down interference with our planned race season, the TRB Grove with Trees For Life has grown to over 70 trees.

Tree for Life and the Eurasian Beaver

Trees For Life have planted over a million trees across Scotland. This is helping to restore the ancient Caledonian Forest, working to rewild the landscape. This will create a more natural habitat for native species to flourish.

Re-wilding of the Scottish landscape is obviously a long term project with many moving parts, and active organisations.

The reintroducing of beavers to the wild in Scotland occurred in 2009. In 2019 the Scottish Government gave them protected status.

There is an estimated population of 450. Last year Scottish National Heritage issued permits for the licensed killing of 87 beavers, almost 20% of the population. They are apparently anti-social, and causing issues for the landowners and farmers. They jumped straight to the death penalty instead of considering an eviction notice. This despite there being numerous suitable locations across Scotland and the UK suited to beaver habitation. There is fears in certain areas that the population will become nonviable.

A petition started by Trees for Life (for further information click here), reached nearly 17000 signatories, and it is hoped this will trigger a Scottish parliamentary discussion. The ASBO beavers are the focus of the petition which aims to allow them to be relocated rather than terminated. The government currently opposes to this policy. They insist that the beaver population should spread naturally from the two current strongholds.

Now is a good time to lobby your MSP to support Trees For Life’s petition – PE01815

Hopefully, ‘Adopt a Beaver’ will not be an option TRB need to make available on future race entries!