Promoting the health benefits of trees

Did you know that spending time among trees has been linked to boosting your immune system? Epping Forest Tree Wardens developed a leaflet to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing benefits of trees, and circulated it to GP surgeries in their local area to raise awareness.

Bringing a community woodland back to life

Tree Wardens in Eastleigh, Hampshire, have rejuvenated an overgrown and underused copse (a small area of woodland), bringing the space back into use by the community. Last year in National Tree Week, the Tree Wardens planted a new fruiting hedgerow on the border of the woodland with the help of local nursery school children. Dick Walters, one of the Tree Wardens in Eastleigh was interviewed by Sky News about why working with children as Tree Wardens was so important.

“It’s not taught in schools now, a lot of children at ten or eleven don’t know where an apple came from; haven’t seen an oak tree and don’t udnerstand the process of nature and what nature does. They’re our answer for the future.”

Planting precious street trees

Street trees make our streets greener and more pleasant. They absorb air pollution and keep us cool in the summer. But they take careful planning, to put the right tree species in the right place. They can be costly to plant, too, as the area may need to be surveyed for pipes and other infrastructure, and a pit may need to be dug in concrete or tarmac.

Surrey Tree Wardens work with their local authority to increase the number of street trees in Surrey’s urban areas. They also care for the trees after planting to ensure they can thrive for years to come.