More than 5,000 trees have been planted across Plymouth this winter, with even more to come in the next few weeks.
Since November, Council teams have helped to plant over 650 new trees of all shapes, species and sizes all over the city as part of the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, with a further 100 to go in before the season is out.
In addition, a further 4,650 whips have been planted as hedgerows and high-density areas in collaboration with partners and communities.
This year has been a focus on the planting of standard trees, with a total of 505 put in the ground so far. 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.
As with all community forest activity, community has very much been at the heart of the work, with hundreds of people of all ages involved in events.
Particular highlights included working with third party landowners to plant 43 trees in St Pancras Avenue and Antony Gardens. These trees will act as wildlife corridors and stepping stone habitats between isolated pockets of woodland including Bluebell woods, Marazion Park, Trench Way, and Ham Brook.
We have also completed a scheme in Taunton Avenue where a large variety of planting types and high impact engagement with the community and partnered with Societree for a number of new micro-forests in schools across the city.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, pictured right, said: “I am so pleased to see yet another bumper tree planting season complete.
“The thing that pleases me most this year is the amount of standards that the team have managed to put in at various locations across the city giving immediate benefit for both people and nature.
“I’d like to thanks all of the residents and community groups who helped support us this year, whether through suggesting location for planting or getting their hands grubby planting in the ground.”
Since the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest was first launched in 2021, around half a million trees have been planted across more than 190 sites in the project area.
Its 25 year strategy, formally adopted last week, seeks to improve the health of existing woodland by supporting all woods being brought into sustainable management by 2050.
This includes restoring ancient woodlands that have been damaged in the past, improving planted ancient woodlands so they once again support richer wildlife, and managing public access so people can enjoy woodlands safely and responsibly.
Communities will be at the heart of this work. At least 3,000 people each year will take part in planting days, woodland care, training, events and local green space projects.
Young people will have key roles through the Forest Rising programme, which offers skills training, hands-on experience and a say in shaping local tree planting.
The Community Forest stretches from the South Devon coast, across Plymouth and onto to the rolling landscape of Dartmoor National.
Unlike traditional forests, the Community Forest isn’t geographically restricted to one place. Instead, it encompasses a mix of community woodland, private woodland, street trees, urban woodland, wooded habitat corridors and hedgerows.
Find out more about Community Forest and how to get involved at https://psdcf.com
2026 in numbers
5,194 total trees planted by, or through grants facilitated by, PSDCF in the city this year
544 larger trees were planted, including fruit trees and standards
4,650 whips were planted as hedgerows and in high‑density areas
28 sites had trees planted this year
13 sites, totalling 653 trees, were planted via PSDCF’s Direct Delivery Model, designed, delivered and maintained entirely by the Council
100s of active community volunteers took part in planting days across 17 sites.
80+ species of tree were planted.
45+ of these species are native or naturalised.
13 varieties of fruit tree were planted across 6 new community orchards.
