Plymouth has been recognised as a Tree City of the World on back of another exceptional planting season this winter.
Since November 2024, thanks in part to a huge new partnership effort, there are over 35,000 new trees growing and establishing across the city.
In the city, Council teams have helped to plant over 5,700 new trees of all shapes, species and sizes all over the city to further enhance the successful legacy of the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest.
Meanwhile, in addition to the trees planted in and around the city, Council and Community Forest teams assisted with the planting of a vast new 30,000-strong forest on MOD land near Ernesettle.
Be it parks and open spaces, road verges, residential streets or in school grounds, Council teams have been busy delivering a positive impact for people and nature across the city.
Extra specially, this year a massive 658 standard and fruit trees have been established. Standards are large trees that at the time of planting are already six to ten feet tall with this year's number nearly double that of 2024.
On top of the standards, a further 5,102 whips have been planted as hedgerows and high-density planting areas which will become the wildlife corridors, edible hedgerows, and wooded areas of the future.
Over the course of the season teams have engaged with hundreds of people of all ages through various community events and groups including Plymouth Tree People, Headway, Societree, and the Hoe Gardening Group, as well as through partnerships with landowners like Plymouth Community Homes and the Learning Academy Trust.
The successful season, plus ongoing work behind the scenes, has led to Plymouth being awarded the coveted status as an official Tree City of the World.
Tree Cities of the World programme is an international effort to recognise cities and towns committed to ensuring that their urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed, and celebrated.
2024-2025 Planting Season in Numbers
5,727 planted across the city
658 standards and fruit trees
5,102 whips planted as hedgerows and high density areas
30,000 planted in partnership with the MOD on land near Ernesettle RNAD
21 sites planted, 6 of which were not on PCC owned land
11 sites delivered through successful Trees for Climate grant applications
246 active community volunteers on planting days over 13 sites
40+ species of tree planted, 30+ of which are native
45+ varieties of fruit tree planted, creating five new community orchards
The status is awarded when a city can demonstrated having; policies for tree management; an inventory to determine what trees it has; a budget to care for those trees; a group dedicated to the care of those trees; and an annual celebration of its trees.
Plymouth was awarded the status after a joint bid between Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, the Council and local charity Plymouth Tree People, in recognition of the innovative approach to bring our community forest to life.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: "Another year, another incredible amount of trees planted across our beautiful city. Just marvellous.
"Then to be become a Tree Cities of World is a real honour for our city.
“Since taking control in 2023, this administration has championed tree planting and the natural environment so this international recognition as a leading tree city, achieved thanks to positive collaborations with local community groups, shows just how far we’ve come."
Penny Tarrant, Chair of Plymouth Tree People, said: "We are delighted to have worked in partnership to achieve this accolade for Plymouth. It demonstrates the commitment to and the value in working together.
“As a local charity, our core work is to Plant, Care and Learn. As partners we have played our part in planting many street trees across the city, caring for trees via our broad Tree Warden network and in teaching about and celebrating trees through the Plymouth Urban Tree Festival, between 11 and 18 May."
The prolific 2024-25 planting season means that that over 17,500 trees have been planted across more than 120 sites since 2021, when the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest was first launched.
The Defra funded Community Forest project boundary stretches from the South Devon coast, across Plymouth and right across to the rolling landscape of Dartmoor National Park.
By April 2026 a further 300 hectares will be planted creating a mosaic of orchards, hedgerows, areas of natural regeneration, native broadleaf, and productive woodland.
Unlike traditional forests, the community forest isn’t geographically restricted to one place. Instead, it encompasses a wide variety of planting styles from community accessible woodland, private woodland, highway verge planting, urban wooded areas , habitat corridors and hedgerows contributing the wider England’s Communty Forests.
Find out more about Community Forest and how to get involved at https://psdcf.com
To contribute to the consultation on the Community Forest Plan please visit https://plymouth-consult.objective.co.uk/kse/event/38334