The Tree Council

The Tree Council is helping city Tree Wardens to lead the way on The Big Tree Plant. Backed by Forestry Commission funding, major demonstration projects – in Newcastle, Plymouth and Walsall – are trialling ways of getting urban communities involved in planting and committed to caring for local trees.

After the Walsall project launched The Big Tree Plant campaign during National Tree Week 2010 (see Tree Warden Update, spring 2011), The Tree Council’s next priorities were to get things under way in Newcastle and Plymouth before the end of the planting season.

On Tyneside, The Tree Council worked with the Friends of Newcastle Trees, which co-ordinates the local network, to plan a project that would have a big impact, help raise the profile of trees in the city and recruit more Tree Wardens.

With the support of Newcastle City Council, Tree Wardens identified a need to replace lost trees around the Town Moor and found 41 possible sites for them along two main roads.

Then local volunteers got together on two days in March to plant lime trees, with city council staff on hand to help. Limes were chosen because they are good for bees and matched what has previously been planted.

As well as Tree Wardens, volunteer tree planters included schoolchildren, university students, residents, a local orchard group, the allotment society and freemen of the city.

They were also asked to suggest more planting sites and will be invited to future community tree planting events.

In the South West, The Tree Council worked with Plymouth Tree Partnership, which co-ordinates the local Tree Warden network, to identify four tree projects that would engage local people and enhance street scenes in a major way.

All involved planting trees in public spaces - in a shopping centre car park, on a residential street, on a communal green and at a primary school – with Tree Wardens contacting resident and community groups and explaining what was needed. 

In planning the projects, Tree Wardens worked closely with Plymouth City Council and utility companies to make sure they had all the required permissions and the practical support of qualified operators on the day.

Each planting attracted a good turnout as well as many offers to help with providing the necessary aftercare.  Some have now joined as Tree Wardens and are looking to re-apply the experience gained in further projects. 

The Big Tree Plant is a five-year campaign, launched by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) aimed at encouraging people and communities in England to plant more trees where they work and live.

The Big Tree Plant partnership brings together civil society partners and conservation organisations, such as The Tree Council and members like the Woodland Trust, Trees for Cities and Community Forests, working with Defra and the Forestry Commission.

• Funding is available to support planting by community groups in towns, cities and residential areas throughout England that would benefit most. The next application deadline is 5pm on 5 September 2011. To apply go to http://thebigtreeplant.direct.gov.uk/funding.html.  To contact the Big Tree Plant funding scheme administrator call 0800 856 7984.