Adapted from NALC’s blog, “How parish and town councils can bring trees to their parks and green spaces“, Richard O’Callaghan, lead external affairs officer, The Woodland Trust
Love Parks Week is a great opportunity to highlight the role trees play in the health and future of our green spaces. Town and parish councils have a powerful opportunity to shape those spaces for the benefit of residents and nature alike and to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Trees offer far more than scenic beauty. They lock up carbon, cool our towns and villages, support wildlife, and contribute to our physical and mental health. When planted in the right places, they can also help manage flood risk, buffer noise and air pollution, and foster local pride and social connection.
That’s why it’s important to think not just about planting more trees, but about planting them strategically- in the places where they’ll deliver the greatest benefit for both people and nature. The Woodland Trust can help through their Free Trees for Schools and Communities programme.
Whether you’re planting a hedgerow in a playing field, adding blossom to a village green, or restoring a neglected patch on the edge of town, the free tree packs make it easy to get started. You can choose from a variety of packs to suit your location: Hedge, Copse, Wild Harvest, Year round colour, Wild Wood, Working wood Wildlife and Urban trees.
Before you apply you’ll need to:
- Know the six digit grid reference for the land you wish to plant using OS Maps
- Have permission from the legal landowner
- Read through the short list of FAQs. They are packed full of important and useful information which will help your application.
Applying is quick and easy. Town and parish councils can apply directly through the Woodland Trust website. Packs come in a variety of types and sizes – from hedging and wildlife packs to urban greening selections – with options suited to different aims and locations. All trees are UK-sourced and grown, and each pack includes guidance on planting and aftercare.
Whether you’re looking to enhance a local park, enrich a playing field, or establish a new woodland corridor, these free tree packs give you the tools to get started – and to make planting count.
Across England, town and parish councils are already using trees to make a real difference:
- Sawtry Parish Council in Huntingdonshire involved local Scouts, Brownies and preschool children in planting trees across public spaces – creating new habitats and bringing generations together in shared stewardship.
- Melksham Without Parish Council in Wiltshire used their packs to extend hedgerows and boost biodiversity around village amenities. Councillors worked with residents to identify areas with the greatest ecological and social value.
- Wilsden Parish Council in West Yorkshire planted over 400 trees along a green corridor with the help of dedicated volunteers, enhancing local climate resilience and improving the quality of life for nearby residents.
These examples show that even small-scale planting projects can have a significant impact on nature, the environment, and community wellbeing.
If you’re planning a tree planting project, the Woodland Trust’s free tree packs are a great resource to help bring it to life.
Apply for a free tree pack: Deadline for applications is 28 August.
For any questions about trees, woods, or how the Woodland Trust can support your local projects, contact governmentaffairs@woodlandtrust.org.uk.
Tree pack choices
Hedge: Make a natural screen or connect existing woodland to help wildlife stay on the move. You will get a variety of each species for 8 metres of full, easy to manage hedging.
- Trees: 30
- Species: dog rose, hawthorn, hazel, crab apple, dogwood
- Size of land: 6-8 metres of double-row hedging
Copse: Plant a mini forest school classroom or a peaceful spot that’s an oasis for birds. You will get 10 of each species for a small, tranquil copse.
- Trees: 30
- Species: silver birch, rowan, wild cherry
- Size of land: tennis court
Wild harvest: Grow an array of fruits and nuts to produce your own jams, jellies, wines and more.
- Trees: 105 or 420
- Species: hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, elder, dog rose, rowan
- Size of land for 105 saplings: 4x tennis courts or 20-25 metres double-row hedge
- Size of land for 420 saplings: 1x football pitch or 85-100 metres double-row hedge
Year-round colour: Enjoy beautiful blossoms, bright berries and stunning autumn displays.
- Trees: 105 or 420
- Species: hawthorn, dogwood, wild cherry, silver birch, rowan, hazel
- Size of land for 105 saplings: 4x tennis courts or 20-25 metres double-row hedge
- Size of land for 420 saplings: 1x football pitch or 85-100 metres double-row hedge
Working wood: Fuel a log burner in 7-10 years, or channel your creativity and learn to carve or weave willow.
- Trees: 105 or 420
- Species: field maple, rowan, silver birch, wild cherry, common oak, grey willow
- Size of land for 105 saplings: 4x tennis courts
- Size of land for 420 saplings: football pitch
Wild wood: These hardy native species can tolerate exposed sites and help dry up wet areas.
- Trees: 105 or 420
- Species: holly, hazel, crab apple, downy birch, hawthorn, goat willow
- Size of land for 105 saplings: 4x tennis courts or 20-25 metres double-row hedge
- Size of land for 420 saplings: 1x football pitch or 85-100 metres double-row hedge
Wildlife: Establish food and shelter for wildlife and create a living legacy for future generations.
- Trees: 105 or 420
- Species: hawthorn, rowan, blackthorn, silver birch, hazel, common oak
- Size of land for 105 saplings: 4x tennis courts or 20-25 metres double-row hedge
- Size of land for 420 saplings: 1x football pitch or 85-100 metres double-row hedge
Urban trees: Easy to manage, this pack is designed for residential areas with limited communal space. If no shared space is available, applications to split between neighbouring front gardens to green up your street are considered.
- Trees: 15 – a mix of three native species chosen to thrive in urban environments
- Species: crab apple, rowan, hazel