The Defra backed Trees Outside Woodland (TOW) Fund is now open for a second year, with more than double the support available for tree, hedgerow and orchard establishment projects in England. Find out more in our latest Tree Talk! buff.ly/xOhZsX6

The wild service tree is the rarer woodland relative of rowan and whitebeam, appearing to germinate only in areas of ancient woodland, for which it is an indicator. It is found on chalk and limestone, but also on nutrient-rich clays.

Our Director of Trees, Science and Research, Jon Stokes MBE, spotted this yellow and black longhorn beetle. Its food sources vary depending on its life stage: adult beetles feed on umellifers such as hogweed and cow parsley, while the larvae feed on decaying wood from trees including oak and birch.

Did you know that in age-old traditions, forked twigs of hazel were used by diviners in folk practices to locate underground water sources, a method known as dowsing. Some still use this method today! #FolkloreThursday

Cities, with their many tarmac roads and tightly packed, high-rise buildings, can create ‘heat islands’, areas where heat accumulates and the temperatures rise. Trees can throw shade onto streets and pavements, reducing the ‘heat island’ impact.

Mulch is a simple way to help protect the tree’s roots from extreme temperatures and keep the ground moist and cool. It means you can avoid using chemicals on any weeds and there’s no need to use a lawn mower or strimmer near the tree, which can risk damaging the bark. 🌳

Our Communications and Marketing Manager, Amelie, spotted a banded demoiselle last week. This large damselfly can be found along the edges of rivers and canals, still ponds and lakes, and among lush, damp vegetation. Don't forget to tag us in your nature pictures!

In Ireland, rowan trees were planted near houses to protect people from evil spirits. Its bright red berries were thought to be the best colour for protecting against evil and its white flowers were seen as a sign of purity and magic. 🌳 #FolkloreThursday (c) Will Fitzpatrick

📣 The Trees Outside Woodland Fund is now open! Following huge demand in 2025, the Trees Outside Woodland Fund, a collaboration between national environmental charity, The Tree Council and Defra, opens today, offering grants of up to £40,000 for local authority and charity-led projects.

Trees in cities have so many benefits and one of those is keeping our streets cool. Trees on streets have the ability to reduce heat by 2 - 8°C, which may not seem like a lot, but can make a big difference during heatwaves when you are seeking shade. Here's to our wonderful city trees!

Happy #FungiFriday Our Tree Warden Scheme ‑ Volunteer Engagement Officer, Charlie, spotted dog vomit slime mould, which is a type of slime mold that is often found on fallen trees and wood chip.

Did you know that oak trees have a long history of folklore. The following saying told of its leaves emerging would predict the summer weather. If the oak before the ash, Then we’ll only have a splash. If the ash before the oak, Then we’ll surely have a soak. (c) Jon Stokes

Competition time! Win a copy of The Hidden Seasons by Tristan Gooley. Head over to our website to enter! >> treecouncil.org.uk/competition/

Adam, our Community Planting Projects Senior Officer, shows us how mulching around trees can be a great way to help with moisture retention. Mulch acts as a protective layer over the soil, reducing water evaporation.

As the weather heats up, it’s vital to make sure young trees have the water they need to thrive.

It's another scorcher today, but did you know that trees can make a real difference? In urban areas, trees can cool the air by between 2 ºC and 8 ºC.

A magnificent tree providing shade during extreme heat in the UK.🌳 We’ve spotted people taking shelter in the shade of the magnificent London Plane of Ely on our live webcam. Proof of just how vital trees are during hot weather.💚

Our National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, Sam, spotted this beautiful scarlet tiger moth in her garden! Let us know what insects you find during #InsectWeek 🐞

The Tree Council has worked with Defra, Forestry Commission and Forest Research to produce a practical toolkit that will equip local authorities and others responsible for managing trees with the information and tools needed to develop local risk-based management approaches for OPM.

The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries on Earth. Over the coming decades, we will need to grow and plant tens of millions of trees to increase tree cover, tackle climate change, restore biodiversity and support people’s wellbeing.

Our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms, Clare, was out for a walk when she spotted lime trees heaving with flowers!

We had a fantastic time at The Big Bang Fair last week! A huge round of applause to our wonderful Young Tree Champions ambassadors and regional team leads, who did a wonderful job of setting up the woodland glade and running lots of activities throughout the week!

We're delighted to announce that Jon Stokes, our Director of Trees, Science and Research, has today been awarded an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2026, for services to tree conservation!

As part of The Tree Council and M&G's Growing Together programme, we have installed a tree table in the University of Reading's Outdoor Learning Garden, complete with a solar-powered irrigation system from a water butt to grow trees from locally collected tree seed.

Knots (also known as branch unions) occur where the stem (post) has decayed, leaving only the branch attachments. You can also see annual stem and branch growth within the knots. Spotted by our Technical Knowledge & Data Senior Manager, Ian.

Our Director of Trees, Science and Research, Jon, finished his keynote presentation at the Ancient Tree Forum summer conference in Scotland last week. He was delighted to have seen the 'Covenanters Oak' again, a tree he last saw 20 years ago when writing Heritage Trees of Scotland.

Did you know the purple hairstreak butterfly relies entirely on the oak tree to survive? It uses oak as a food source, a place for shelter and to lay its eggs. Who's been lucky enough to see one of these beautiful butterflies? 🦋

🎉 The Big Bang Fair is back! 🚀 We're pleased to announce we’ll be at The #BigBangFair on 9 to 11 June at the NEC in Birmingham! This event is packed with hands-on workshops, inspiring activities, and live shows that bring STEM to life. Schools can book their free tickets today: bit.ly/3MlYERq

Isn't it wonderful to see trees blooming into life in our urban areas 💚 Our urban trees do so much for us, they keep our streets cool, help to reduce stress, clean the air and reduce the impact of heavy rainfall. 🌳

Every year, hundreds of thousands of trees are planted around the UK but for them to stand the best chance of surviving, they will need some basic aftercare. Start by assesing whether your trees are alive and thriving.

Did you know that today is #OakAppleDay 🌳 The celebration marks the return of King Charles II to the throne in 1660 after fleeing and seeking refuge in an oak tree at Boscobel House in Staffordshire, ending the Puritan Commonwealth.

Five lucky readers will win a copy of The Wildness, by Anne Keer – published by Honno Press – an eco-historical novel of love, land, resistance and an old oak tree. Head over to our competition page to enter! treecouncil.org.uk/competition/

This month, the Mayor of London announced investment in 33 community projects to improve London’s green and blue infrastructure, and boost climate resilience.

Our Science & Action Research Manager, Charlotte Benham, joined BBC Radio Scotland live on the balcony of Broadcasting House last week, for the next episode of Out of Doors.

Happy Monday 🌳 We love seeing tree pics when our team are out and about! A majestic oak next to a beautiful hedgerow, taken by our Tree Warden Scheme ‑ Volunteer Engagement Officer, Charlie.

When watering your tree, concentrate efforts under the canopy of the tree, as this is where most of the roots are likely to be. Ensure that you water evenly so that no matter where the roots are, they get some water. 🌳 💧 #TreesLoveCare

We are excited to announce that we were awarded funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA), through the Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund, to deliver the Young Tree Champions Living Labs programme.

Thank you to everyone who entered our Tree Flower Photo Competition last month! You can now view a gallery of our favourites over on our website. Picture one: Southend Street Trees Picture two: Dunnington Green Initiatives Group Picture three: Beki Pemberton Picture four: Patricia Craven

Grants to support the establishment of thousands of trees, orchards and hedgerows on streets, in parks, and in community and educational spaces are now available through The Tree Council – with funding opportunities for communities across the United Kingdom. Find out more >> buff.ly/GlumYXH

Our Director of Trees, Science and Research spotted the very beautiful starry clover last week. 💚

Did you know that Community Tree Nurseries across the country are growing more than 400,000 trees a year? That’s a huge boost for people, biodiversity and the climate.

Today is International Day of Plant Health! #PlantHealthDay We have several brilliant community tree nursery case studies in our Tree Growers Guide, along with special advice from Salhouse on how to improve your nursery's biosecurity. Head to page 234 of The Tree Growers Guide buff.ly/Mb83Cku

This week is National Plant Health Week, an annual designated week of action to raise public awareness and engagement on how to keep our plants healthy.

And that's a wrap! Thank you so much to everyone who celebrated National Hedgerow Week with us! Although the week has ended, that doesn't mean we have to stop there. Let's continue to cherish and protect our hedgerows and encourage everyone to let them flourish. 💚 #NationalHedgerowWeek

A little message from one of our wonderful Young Tree Champions Ambassadors, Abbi Lawson! #NationalHedgerowWeek

Today is a very special day! Happy 100th birthday, Sir David Attenborough, from all of us at The Tree Council! 🎉 Thank you for opening our eyes to the wonder of the natural world and for inspiring generations to protect and cherish our trees, wildlife, and planet. 🌍💚

Did you know that National Hedgerow Week also coincides with Hedgehog Awareness Week? 💚 We are teaming up with our friends at the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to raise awareness about how hedgerows benefit our British wildlife, including hedgehogs! 🦔

🎁 #NationalHedgerowWeek Giveaway! 🎁 To celebrate National Hedgerow Week, Tree Council Tree Partner, Ecotone, is giving you the chance to win a bundle of goodies from its purpose-driven brands including delicious teas, oat drink, snacks and cakes. Follow the link to enter! >> buff.ly/7xWJLNp

Happy National Hedgerow Week! 🌳 This is a perfect time to celebrate one of our unsung heroes. Often seen simply as boundaries, hedgerows are actually made up of individual trees working together to create a living and breathing ecosystem.

Team Tree Council got together in London earlier this week at the beautiful Roots and Shoots HQ! A huge thank you to Roots and Shoots for having us at your fantastic venue! We enjoyed having a wonderful space to collaborate and having a tour around the gardens.