There is a national organisation called the ‘Tree Council’ www.treecouncil.org.uk/tws/tws.htm which has designed a very clever way for folk who like trees, to get involved with the trees in their local community...
The National Tree Warden Scheme
Tree Wardens work within their local community and can choose to do a huge range of things. Such as...
- Survey their local trees
- Develop ideas for tree projects
- Discover where practical help is needed
- Bring threats to trees to the attention of the local authority
- Provide advice on which tree species to plant
- Report damaged trees
- Obtain grants for tree planting (where TDN project funding may be able to help!)
- Look after newly planted trees
- Ensure compliance with tree preservation orders and planning consents
- Look out for trees showing signs of disease
- Organise practical tree planting or woodland management projects
- 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
If you’re thinking that being a Tree Warden could be part of your Druidry ~ But you don’t have enough knowledge and it sounds like a big time commitment read on!
Tree Wardens give only as much time as they can happily give. Each tree warden usually chooses whichever aspects of the role they most enjoy. Training is an essential part of the Tree Warden scheme. The free training provided is designed to give Tree Wardens confidence in their ability to carry out their role effectively. It teaches Tree Wardens the knowledge and skills they need to undertake the basic range of Tree Warden activities and ensures they know when and where to turn for expert advice. The training runs at weekends as well as during the week, so full time work need not be a barrier. In the first year you usually cover;
- Introduction to the Tree Warden Scheme
- Trees and the Law
- Survey Skills and Summer Tree Identification
Tree Planting; Grant Aid Tree Seed Collection and Winter Tree Identification Woodland/Hedgerow Ecology
Tree wardens are desperately needed, particularly in urban areas!
If you want to get involved and learn how to be a Tree Warden, here’s how to do it…
1. Check out the webpage; www.treecouncil.org.uk/tws/contacts.html this will how you who supports the Tree Warden scheme in your area. This is usually a local authority, if your county is not covered contact the Tree Council directly via their website www.treecouncil.org.uk.
2. Call the people who run the scheme locally – their number is on the above web page. They will talk to you about the scheme and send you some more information on how it operates locally.
3. Read the information and re-contact them to let them know you are still interested. They will then let the local Parish Council or local residents group, who run the Tree Warden scheme local to you know that you want to be a Tree Warden.
4. The local Parish Council will then contact you and arrange to meet you to discuss you becoming a Tree Warden. It is up to them whether you are accepted as a local tree warden. You cannot elect yourself – they have to recommend you become one and are accepted into the scheme!
To view the latest newsletter click here; www.treecouncil.org.uk/tws/TreeGuardianSummer%202006.pdf
