Happy #FungiFriday Jon, our Director of Trees, Science & Research, found brown brain fungus, which is a parasite often found on dead wood with hairy curtain crust on it.

There are male and female holly trees, which leads to one of the most commonly asked questions – ‘why doesn’t my holly produce berries?’ This will either be because the tree is male, or because there are no male trees in the area to produce pollen to fertilise the female.

The Tree Council returned to Dulwich Picture Gallery last week, with a group of fantastic volunteers from Savills, to support the development of their new public sculpture garden and art forest.

There's something for everyone during National Tree Week! Head over to nationaltreeweek.org.uk to find an event near you. 💚 #NationalTreeWeek

Now, how about that for a leaf that our Grants Officer, Geraldine, found whilst out on a walk! This is Cornus Alba, also known as Siberian dogwood, which is a deciduous shrub that has stems that turn crimson in winter. 🍂

Beautiful autumn colour sweeping through Norfolk, taken by our Comms & Marketing Manager, Amelie. Please do tag us in your autumn pictures! 🍂

A lovely arty nature find by our Corporate & Community Engagement Senior Officer, Joe! A great way to use fallen leaves to create art.🍂

Our Director of Trees, Science & Research, Jon, was out in the New Forest when he came across an abundance of fly agaric! #FungiFriday 🍄 These classic fairy tale toadstools often grow beneath birch trees, forming a fascinating underground partnership.

Ancient Druids are said to have conducted their ceremonies and rituals in oak groves, regarding the tree as deeply sacred. In fact, the very word Druid is thought to come from an old Celtic term meaning “knower of the oak.” #FolkloreThursday

Join us for a lively and insightful conversation exploring the vital role of trees in farmed landscapes. Sign up here: www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr...

These large trees have deeply furrowed bark, and often large burrs. They prefer wet edges and stream sides over woods. Country people relied on this tree for fuel-wood, shelter and low-grade timber when no other was available.

Join three authors and experts in the field as they take a look at the extraordinary capacity of trees to establish themselves in the most unexpected of places, giving us hope for a future filled with trees. Get your free ticket now! > www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr... #NationalTreeWeek

In 2023, during National Tree Week, we joined our amazing Tree Wardens at Bradgate Park to plant trees in the grounds. Sam, our National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, returned to visit them to ensure they are growing strong! 💚 Who else is looking forward to National Tree Week this year? 🙌

Book bundle giveaway! To celebrate National Tree Week, The Tree Council is giving away a bundle of six exquisite books and a Tree Council tote bag. Head over to our website to enter! > treecouncil.org.uk/seasonal-cam... This competition closes at midnight on Sunday 30 November 2025.

We hope you all had a spooky time yesterday! 👻 Clare, our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms, spotted this marbled orb weaver spider hiding in the leaf litter! Just like other orb weavers, this spider creates a new web each day.

Happy Halloween! Today we have a spooky #FungiFriday edition! Red cage fungus spotted in Portugal by our Project Manager, Tess. It's also known as the lattice stinkhorn due to its putrid smell! The fruiting body emerges from an egg-like sack and produces a rotten, meat-like smell to attract flies.

Happy #FolkloreThursday ✨ Did you know that rowan's Celtic name, 'fid na ndruad', means wizards' tree? The name reflects the rowan tree's folklore history, where the tree was believed to protect people from witches and evil spirits.

📢 New event! Join us to hear from some of the most promising young voices shaping the future of the tree and environmental sector, as we explore the growing world of green careers. Sign up here for free > www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr...

Clare Bowen, our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms took this beautiful picture of London's Regent's Park. The lime avenue is transitioning into its autumn colours. 🍂

Not long to go until National Tree Week next month! How will you be celebrating? Head over to nationaltreeweek.org.uk to discover plenty of resources, find an event and much more! National Tree Week > 22 - 30 November 2025

There are many brilliant trees to plant in autumn for their beautiful colour and fruits for wildlife. Here are a few to get you started! 🧡🍂

Check out our team's #AutumnWatch photos! Plenty of autumn colour is sweeping across the country! 🍂 Please do make sure you tag us in your autumn photos! 🧡

Charlie, our Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, spotted Dyer's polypore not long ago. #FungiFriday It earned its common name 'Dyer's polypore' because it dyes wool various shades from yellow to green. 🍄

In folklore, the silver birch was known by the druids as the Goddess Tree and the Lady of the Woods. It symbolises light, new beginnings, love, and fertility, and was believed to have the power to protect against evil spirits and the evil eye. #FolkloreThursday 🌳 ✨ #FolkloreThursday

Thank you so much to everyone who celebrated Seed Gathering Season with us this year! 💚 Our future needs trees and growing them from seed is such a great way to get trees in the ground for future generations.

Time for some cone ID! 🌲#SeedGatheringSeason Let us know in the comments what cone seeds you have been collecting or spotting! 🧡

The art of the impossible! This is an acorn that shouldn't exist, from Jon's 4 year old oak tree and it is now sprouting! This proves it has the potential to develop into a tree - which shouldn't be possible.

Happy #FolkloreThursday! In some traditions, sycamore seeds were used in divination practices. People believed that these seeds could provide insights into the future and were often used in love spells and other magical workings. 🌳 #SeedGatheringSeason

Don't forget you can still win a copy of The Almanac by Lia Leendertz! Competition ends midnight on 22 October. Enter here: treecouncil.org.uk/sgs-competit... #bookcompetition #competition

Time for some winged seed ID! #SeedGatheringSeason Why not head out this week and see how many winged seed types you can find. 🧡 Use our handy Tree Grower's Guide to help you ID! treegrowersguide.org.uk

Let's get outside and gather seeds for the future! 🌰🧡🌳#seedgatheringseason Head over to the Tree Grower's Guide to find out more about growing trees from seed! treegrowersguide.org.uk

Here are some fleshy fruits you may find this Seed Gathering Season!

Jon talks us through the float test for tree nut seeds. You can now watch the full Seed Gathering Season Masterclass over on our YouTube channel! 🍂 youtu.be/MxeBU0OVSWo

Today is World Mental Health Day 💚 Spending time around trees can lower anxiety and boost mood. Nature isn’t just beautiful—it’s healing. 🌿 Take a walk, breathe deeply, and let the trees do their magic. 🌳 Will you be spending time with trees today? #WorldMentalHealthDay

Mark your calendars for 22 - 30 November because National Tree Week starts next month! 🌳 We're excited to celebrate with all of our wonderful partners, coming together for a future filled with trees. 💚

Thank you to everyone who shared their trees from seed images! Take a look at our latest news piece to see a gallery filled with your photos 🌳 treecouncil.org.uk/gallery-tree... Photo 1: Wild Fen Photo 2: Paul Dubery Photo 3: Lyndsay Photo 4: Oak Church Project

We’re delighted to unveil our new research report… Did you know there are roughly 80 Community Tree Nurseries (CTN) across the UK producing approx. 250,000 trees a year? They are largely run by volunteers and are usually 1 - 5 years old. It’s often local people collecting local seed.

Final Seed Gathering Season online talk! 🍂 Join us to celebrate the richness of autumn and its fruit, with special guests Lia Leendertz and Abbi Lawson. Get your free ticket, www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr...

Final Seed Gathering Season online talk! 🍂 Join us to celebrate the richness of autumn and its fruit, with special guests Lia Leendertz and Abbi Lawson. Get your free ticket, www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr...

Here is a selection of tree nuts you might find when out and about, along with some top tips on how to identify them! 🌰🍂 Who's been out collecting seeds? #SeedGatheringSeason

🌰🐿️ It’s Red Squirrel Awareness Week! Did you know red squirrels depend on our native trees — like Scots pine, oak, and hazel — for food and shelter? 🌲🌿 By protecting and planting the right trees, we’re not just growing trees… we’re giving red squirrels a future. 💚 #RedSquirrelAwarenessWeek

Jon, our Director of Trees, Science & Research, found this fungus in Herefordshire. It’s called riverine bolete and lives in partnership with poplars and willows. This was on the roots of the ancient black poplar, which won the prize in the Herefordshire Tree Wardens Tremendous Trees project.

Clare, our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms, collected all these seeds on her way home from the train station this week! 💚 How many species can you find?

📢 We have another book giveaway for you! Win a copy of Jon Drori’s The Stuff that Stuff is Made Of.

“The tree cover on our planet is like the skin on a human body. If you lose a third of your skin, you’re finished. We’re now apparently down to 30% tree cover on the planet - so we’d better get planting.” Andrew Doubleday, is one of hundreds of volunteers across the country growing tree from seed

Introducing the new look for National Tree Week 🌳 To mark 50 years of communities coming together to plant and protect trees, National Tree Week has a new identity — simple, bold, and full of meaning.

The long, warm summer has culminated in an abundance of oversized seeds, hedge berries and orchard fruit. 🌰

📢 Join us for a free Seed Gathering Season masterclass! 🌰 Join Jon Stokes, The Tree Council's Director of Trees, Science & Research to explore the incredible diversity of tree seeds on your doorstep. When: Wed 8 October Time: 1 - 2pm Tickets: www.tickettailor.com/events/thetr...

Now is the last chance to pick any late blackberries, because 29 September is Michaelmas Day and it is the end of the harvest and agricultural year.

📢 Book competition! 📚🍂 To celebrate the arrival of autumn and the start of a new tree year, we have five copies of award-winning gardener and food writer Lia Leendertz’s gorgeous month-by-month guide to the world around us. Enter here > treecouncil.org.uk/sgs-competit... #bookcompetition