The Tree Council

Book giveaway time!

Win a copy of Ancient by Luke Barley! Head over to our website to enter the competition now.

treecouncil.org.uk/competition

The London plane has distinctive bark with large plates that flake off, leaving creamy patches. As a result, it copes well with pollution, and was planted widely in urban streets and squares in the 18th and 19th centuries, changing forever the treescape of British cities.

We had a fantastic tree planting day at Stanton Low Country Park in Milton Keynes, with brilliant volunteers from Kiwa UK & Ground Control. We planted native tree species to create a new woodland space that will grow to support biodiversity and establish new nesting sites for local wildlife. 💚

Our Director of Programmes, Partnership & Comms, Clare, spotted the first cherry plum blossom of the year!

Who else has spotted blossom? Let us know in the comments and tag us in your photos!

Its scientific name is Prunus cerasifera. The word cerasifera means 'bearing cherry-like fruits'.

This planting is one of seven Tiny Forests that Earthwatch Europe will be delivering across communities in England this planting season, supported by The Tree Council and Defra through the Trees Outside Woodland Fund.

Using the Miyawaki method, Tiny Forests bring the benefits of woodlands into the heart of our cities and urban spaces: connecting people with nature, helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change, as well as providing spaces to support wildlife.

Tiny Forests are small but mighty!

@earthwatcheurope.bsky.social was in St Mark’s Park, Swindon, planting a new Tiny Forest. They were joined by pupils from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Ferndale Primary School, plus members of the local community.

Spotting catkins on trees 🌳

Catkins are clusters of tiny flowers that grow on some trees and allow them to reproduce. Here are just some of the trees with catkins!

Just look at the size of that fungus!

Happy #FungiFriday! This is giant polypore, which is common throughout Britain and Ireland. It is a large fungus that grows in clusters, resembling woody plates. It grows at the base of trees or on buried roots.

What does the future hold for our oak trees?
Join us for a webinar panel discussion to discuss our upcoming new report, The State of the UK's Oaks, and its findings.
Tuesday 17 March, 2026, 2pm-3pm
Book here https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RyAaAp_EQ72AY8DxX2VpdQ#/registration

Happy #FolkloreThursday!

Today's folklore feature is the ginkgo biloba. Watch the video to find out folklore facts about this tree!

Charlie, our Tree Warden Scheme Volunteer Engagement Officer, spotted the Kirby pine, known locally as the broccoli tree!

This is a stone pine, which is a tree that is native to the Mediterranean region. Mature trees produce cones, from which edible pine nuts are extracted for making pesto.

Who wants to go on a walk and see some trees?

Happy Valentine's Day! 💚

Mutualism is a type of symbiosis where the relationship between all species benefits from their interactions.

Today, we're going to share some examples of trees and other species sharing the love. 💚

According to folklore, if this fungus appeared on the door of a house, it meant that a witch had cast a spell on the people living there.🧙‍♀️

#FungiFriday (c) Kayleigh Wright

This is yellow brain fungus! This parasitic brain-like fungus feeds on wood-rotting fungi such as rosy crust fungus. The best place to see it is in woodlands on deadwood branches of deciduous trees.

Happy #FolkloreThursday!

In English Folklore, willow trees were seen as sinister, as they were believed to uproot themselves and stalk people passing by. How spooky! 👀

(c) Louise McGovern

"The end of winter - it is a really good time to see lichens in all their glory. Look at these beautiful colours on a field maple twig." - Jon Stokes, Director of Trees, Science and Research.

But look a little closer, and you’ll find that there are key characteristics that can help you single out each species, even after they’ve disrobed for winter.

Here are 5 trees to identify by looking closely at their buds and twigs!

Without their cloaks of distinctive leaves, you could be forgiven for thinking that deciduous trees can all sort of look the same in winter, bare and twiggy.

Did you know that the sun won't set before 5pm until the 25th October. That's just what we wanted to hear!

Brighter days are coming. 🌿

Lend us an ear!

Our National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, Sam, spotted plenty of jelly ear fungus on her walk the other week. This gelatinous, ear-like fungus can be found upon rotting wood, all year round, with peak abundance in winter.

Competition time!

We have five 1L bundles of fantastic Faith In Nature goodies to give away.

Head over to our website to enter! treecouncil.org.uk/competition/

Coppiced hazel woodlands are rich in wildlife, as the regular cutting allows light to reach the woodland floor, benefitting flowers and butterflies. Over 106 invertebrate species have been found on hazel. The nuts attract squirrels and hazel dormice.

Spring is just around the corner on the south coast. Our Director of Trees, Science & Research, Jon, spotted the cherry plum blossoms about to burst!

Capturing the magic of trees through a lens It’s harder than it looks…

Head over to our latest Tree Talk to read more!

treetalk.substack.com/p/capturing-...

The former, and the longest running, attempts to achieve an objective that is much harder than it may appear – successfully capturing trees on camera. Ian began his second account, @the_tree_culture to allow him to focus on all the amazing people helping those trees to survive and thrive.

Ian Turner, The Tree Council’s Senior Manager for Technical Knowledge & Data, possesses a wonderful flair for translating the majesty of trees through the lens of a smartphone.

In his spare time, Ian operates two Instagram accounts, @turnerstrees and @the_tree_culture.