The Tree Council's Tree Warden Scheme
The Tree Council's Tree Warden Scheme is a national initiative to enable people to play an
active role in conserving and enhancing their local trees and woods. The scheme was founded by the Tree
Council and is co-ordinated by the Council in partnership with the National Grid and the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister (ODPM).
Tree Wardens are volunteers, appointed by parish councils and community groups to plant and care for trees,
gather information about local trees, and develop imaginative projects to encourage others, including
school children, to value their local trees and woods.
Since the Scheme's launch in September 1990, the Tree Council has worked closely with local authorities to
set up Tree Warden Networks throughout the country. There are now over 7,500 Tree Wardens.
Why Tree Wardens are needed
Trees are a precious part of our natural heritage and we need to take action now if future generations are
to enjoy the beauty and variety of our landscapes. To be most effective, this action should be taken by
people on the spot; the people who know their own localities intimately and who have most to gain from the
protection and enhancement of their immediate environment.
How the Tree Warden Scheme works
Tree Wardens need not be tree experts, only enthusiasts, as a series of one-day training courses are run in
participating areas in conjunction with Local Authorities, Community Forests and BTCV (British Trust for
Conservation Volunteers). These courses cover topics such as surveying woodland and non-woodland trees,
summer and winter tree identification, tree planting and aftercare, woodland ecology and management, seed
collection and tree law. Wardens are supported in their work by their parish council or community group,
which in turn will look to the Local Authority for help in matters which are beyond its resources.
The Tree Warden's Role
Tree Wardens work closely with their local community, and with local farmers and landowners. Among the
tasks they become involved in are:
- Gathering information and doing surveys of their local trees, so as to develop ideas for projects, discover
where practical help and advice is needed, and become aware of threats to trees that may need bringing to
the attention of the local authority.
- Local community liaison - a key element in the Tree Warden's role. Tree Wardens may be asked questions on
what species to plant, how to deal with a damaged tree, and how to obtain grant aid for planting. Wardens
will not necessarily have all the answers, but they will soon learn where to find them.
- Protecting Trees - trees and woods need protection, and local people can often see what needs to be done
before council officials. Tree Wardens have a vital role to play here, by informing the local council of
threats to trees, and so helping to ensure compliance with tree preservation orders and planning consents.
They can also keep their eyes open for vandalism to newly planted trees, and look out for trees showing signs
of disease, or becoming dangerous through decay.
- Organising, or encouraging others to organise, practical projects such as tree planting or woodland
management. Community involvement is one of the main aims of the Tree Council's Tree Warden Scheme. Wardens
work with schools to create conservation areas, organise guided tree walks, give talks to local groups,
help farmers to lay hedges, encourage local environmental improvement projects, plan tree planting projects
for National Tree Week and so on. Involving children and youth groups also helps to control vandalism.
How to become a Tree Warden
Tree Warden Networks are listed on the Tree Council's website, with names of local contacts. The list is
also available from the Tree Council. If there is no Network in your area, you may like to get in touch
with the tree officer in your Local Authority (probably
in the planning department) to discuss the possibility of starting one.
For more details contact:
The Tree Council, 71 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1YT
Telephone: 020 7407 9992
Fax: 020 7407 9908
or visit their website: http://www.treecouncil.org.uk
For the Edinburgh area contact: Alan Mitchell, Telephone: 0131 469 3677
The Tree Council
The Tree Council, the lead UK tree campaigning charity, promotes the planting and conservation of trees.
Through its 150 member organisations, Tree Wardens and other partners, the Tree Council works towards:
- Making trees matter to everyone
- More trees, of the right kind, in the right places
- Better care for all trees, of all ages
- Inspiring effective action for trees
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