In the five years of the Shared Outcomes Fund Trees Outside Woodland project, our team of five local authority project officers have amassed a huge amount of knowledge through delivering experimental tree planting initiatives.
Now, as the project approaches its end, we gathered the team around a table at The Tree Council HQ to recount, discuss, and share what they’ve learned through the process, and what the research they’ve led on has shown.
Premiering here in Tree Talk ahead of a wider launch next week, you have the first opportunity to hear how the project was delivered, what its challenges and successes were, and to learn from the experience they have gained from the planting and monitoring of 265,000 trees since 2020, which, hopefully, you can apply to your own tree projects.
“This podcast series is about making the knowledge we've gained accessible and useful to others”
Bringing the project to life through the voices of the people who made it happen, the first episode of the series covers the tree schemes pilot - which is also the latest report to be published through the project.
Jon Stokes, Director of Trees, Science and Research at The Tree Council, said: “Successful tree planting often involves costly trial and error. This important research project highlights the challenges and lessons learned from four distinct schemes, offering valuable insights into how non-woodland tree planting can be effectively integrated into local authority plans, in turn supporting the nation’s ambitious tree-planting goals.
“This podcast series is about making the knowledge we've gained accessible and useful to others. By sharing these practical lessons, we hope to inspire and inform future efforts to grow and care for more trees outside woodland.”
A new episode will be published each month until September when the project is due to conclude. In addition to being hosted here in Tree Talk, the podcast will be available on Spotify and YouTube from next Tuesday.
The Trees Outside Woodland project is an HM Treasury-funded collaborative action research programme delivered in partnership by The Tree Council, Natural England, Defra and five local authorities, investigating new ways to increase tree cover outside of woodlands.
To find out more about the project, please visit www.treecouncil.org.uk/science-and-research/shared-outcomes-fund/
MORE: Rooted in value: how small contributions can lead to better tree survival
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