Emergency Tree Fund

Devon County Council has supported a range of tree planting initiatives thanks to funding from the Woodland Trust, through its Emergency Tree Fund. Most recently DCC have been successful in securing funding from the Forestry Commission, to administer a ‘Local Authority Treescapes Fund’ Project. This new project effectively acted as an extension of DCC’s ETF offer. 

To see the impact the Emergency Tree Fund has had across Devon, please see DCC’s Emergency Tree Fund Project story map.


  • What support was available?

    Support for town and parish councils 

    Since the beginning of the project in 2021, we have been working with a small number of town and parish councils to support tree planting on their land holdings. This has been in response to the Woodland Trust’s ‘Big Climate Fightback’ and the widely acknowledged ‘Devon Climate Emergency’. We would like to continue to promote schemes for forthcoming planting seasons as demonstrations of what other councils can achieve going forward.

    If you are aware of any opportunities to plant on town or parish council-owned land, or you would like help funding a local tree planting project, please send an email to naturalenvironment-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. If DCC cannot fund a project, alternatively, we can signpost people to our regional partner organisations.

    Support for partner organisations 

    We have supported projects by East Devon, Mid Devon, South Hams and Torridge District Councils to create, restore and expand woodland habitat. 

    Support for private landowners 

    Between 2021 and 2024, landowners across Devon were offered ‘free tree packs’ through the Emergency Tree Fund project. For example, in 2021, to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and to support The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. In total, 70 tree packs were delivered to landowners across Devon, each consisting of a mix of 45 native trees; the locations of where these were delivered to are illustrated in the image below.

  • Sources of Funding & Resources for Tree Planting

    Sources of Funding & Resources for Tree Planting

    There are currently lots of different types of funding and resources for tree planting in Devon, for more information head over to the table on the Devon LNP website: Sources of Funding & Resources For Tree Planting in Devon

  • Press Releases
  • Photos

    Photos

    Free Tree Scheme 2021/22

    Child planting a tree


    Middle Winsham (DCC County Farm Estate)


    Follaton Arboretum (South Hams)


    Free Tree Scheme 2022/23

  • 'Right Place, Right Tree' Guidance

    If you’re thinking about tree planting it’s important you understand how to choose the right place and the right tree. We highly recommend that you follow the ‘Right Place Right Tree’ guidance, available on the LNP website: Right Place Right Tree – Devon Local Nature Partnership (devonlnp.org.uk)

  • Free Tree Scheme (now closed until 2025)

    Free Tree Scheme 2024/2025 (CLOSED)

    Every year, Devon County Council offer free tree packs to landowners and communities within Devon. Each free tree pack will contain 45 trees comprising three types of native broadleaved tree commonly found throughout Devon. The past few years, the scheme has been funded by The Woodland Trust.

    There are currently plenty of schemes and initiatives encouraging landowners and communities within Devon to plant native broadleaved trees. Doing so will help replace the vast number of ash trees that are now dying through ash dieback, as well as supporting wildlife, enhancing our landscapes for people to enjoy, and helping to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.

    Are you eligible?

    If you have a field corner or another area where you would like to establish a small copse, linear woodland or extend an existing woodland, you can apply for a free tree pack. In previous years free packs of 45 saplings containing oak, birch and rowan trees have been supplied to eligible landowners.

    Example requirements (2024-2025): 

    1. The tree planting location (or locations) must be suitable in terms of size and location in the landscape. To give trees enough space to develop a good crown and grow to maturity, we advise planting at 3m random spacings, which requires an area of approximately 400m sq. (e.g. 20m x 20m).
    2. Planting must take place within the first week of the tree pack arriving. If this isn’t possible, you must ‘heel in’ the trees at a temporary location, until you can plant the trees at the agreed location (the planting must be carried out by the end of March 2025 at the very latest).
    3. A person (landowner or their appointee) must be named as responsible for planting and maintaining the trees according to the instructions, so that after 5 years the trees are well established and growing healthily.
    4. The person named as responsible for planting must ensure there is no impact to any underground services or overhead cables. Please ensure you are aware of and comply with any guidelines provided by the relevant utility company before implementing your planting scheme. Remember to consider the likely height and spread of the tree once mature.
    5. You must read the planting leaflet provided and you must follow the planting instructions. This includes ensuring that the planting will not disturb buried archaeology; please consult the Devon County Council Environment Viewer if you are unsure. For more information, please visit Step 3: Check for potential sensitivities – Devon Local Nature Partnership (devonlnp.org.uk).
    6. We require a photograph of the planted trees as evidence of completion. If not provided to us by the end of May 2025, we may wish to access the planting site to check and record (through a photograph) that the planting has been carried out. Arrangements for such a visit will be agreed in advance with the landowner.

    How to make an application:

    Applications are currently closed. Please return to this page in the future for a further update.

  • Free trees and support for woodland creation

    If you’re interested in tree planting, we highly recommend you reach out to the Natural Environment Team via naturalenvironment-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.

  • Case Studies

    Newton Poppleford & Harpford Parish Council Case Study

    • Early in 2022, Newton Poppleford and Harpford Parish Council’s ‘Climate Change group’ reached out to DCC, and explained that they had carried out a survey within their local area, assessing the potential for tree planting
    • The parish initially asked to plant 88 trees, across many different locations
    • We eventually arranged a site visit with the parish, and they demonstrated exactly where they wanted to plant trees and explained the reasoning behind it (i.e. why a particular species was selected for a specific area)
    • The parish initially wanted to plant just standard trees. After highlighting the potential to incorporate trees in hedgerows and field corners, the parish soon came to realise there was a lot of potential for whip planting.

    • Throughout 2022, we developed planting plans for several sites – our main approach to planting that season was community planting. We believed that Newton Poppleford and Harpford would be a great place to implement this as it was clear there was a lot interest in planting from the local community already.
    • We procured community interest company ‘Parklife South West’ and arranged that they use their expertise to refine the planting plans that we had already developed with the parish.
    • In the end, over 1368 trees were planted (1325 whips and 43 standards) at five sites, throughout the end of January 2023 to the start of February 2023
    • The project engaged several community and volunteer groups from a range of organisations. For example, volunteers attended from the local school on one day, Bicton College on another and RSPB also provided volunteers for one of the planting events.
    • Many locals from the community took action – on some planting days there were over 50 volunteers in attendance.
    • The species selected were a mix of native trees including Birch, Whitebeam, Hornbeam, Cherry, Rowan, Hawthorn, Crabapple, Field Maple and Lime
    • The standards were provided by Crowders. These were half-standards, but in this instance, they were exceptionally large and of very good quality.
    • Over 1,000 hedging whips from Moor Trees were used to create 180m of hedging which will provide so many new places for birds and insects to nest and thrive
    • Locals also provided homemade confectionaries on volunteer days
    • All of the planting was added to the Queen’s Green Canopy website
    Volunteer group Number of volunteers
    Newton Poppleford & Harpford Climate Change Group 7
    Local residents 40
    RSPB 10
    Bicton College 9
    Newton Poppleford Primary School 24
    • This project is a fantastic example of what can be done when people seek the right guidance and the right funding.
    • Newton Poppleford and Harpford Parish Councl would not have been able to receive the same level of support from other grant sources.
    • This is a great example of where the Emergency Tree Fund was able to develop an idea and develop it into something bigger, better, and practically deliverable.
    • The level of community support was fantastic, and it was a direct result of the enthusiasm and passion of the parish – the ETF was just the catalyst!
  • Privacy Notice
     

    Privacy Notice – Tree Planting (Community Planting Events)

    Devon County Council (DCC) is collecting and or processing your personal data as a Data Controller under Data Protection Legislation and our ICO registration number is Z6475582.  This privacy notice concerns the processing of personal data that takes place by DCC’s Natural Environment Team.

    This notice explains what information we collect, why we collect it and how we keep it secure. It also explains your rights and our legal obligation. View the privacy notice by clicking here