Buckinghamshire Council is on a mission to create a greener, cleaner future for everyone in Buckinghamshire.
Progress so far
Since the launch of the 'Bucks Tree Mission' in 2021, over 214,000 trees have been planted in Buckinghamshire.
The tree planting is precisely managed, focusing on establishing new woodlands and supporting tree planting in urban areas. Tree species selected are native to the region and suited to the soil conditions, ensuring each tree is planted in its optimal location.
There is also consideration for trees for the future and what will thrive in our ever-changing climate. This strategy fosters the development of healthy woods and hedgerows, offering a variety of habitats for wildlife.
For detailed information about the new woods that have been created and the tree species that have been planted visit Large-scale planting in Buckinghamshire.
Trees we have planted this season
This tree planting season, thousands of whips have been planted in a range of sites across Buckinghamshire. This work has created new wooded areas, and where these are close to communities and can be accessed safely they will be opened to the public once established.
New woodlands that have been planted this winter are forecast to sequester 2,498 tonnes of carbon over 100 years, which is the equivalent to driving 17,855,611.2 kilometres. To put it into context, that’s roughly equivalent to annual emissions of 543 cars, or the annual energy use of 384 homes.
Lower Munt's Wood - Saunderton
At 6.5 hectares, the creation of Lower Munt’s Wood is our largest tree planting site this season. The wood has been designed to incorporate grassland glades to support diverse habitats and biodiversity, and - once established - new woodland paths for the enjoyment of local walkers. We also installed badger gates into our fencing system to ensure that any night time incursions into the open area can continue. Key tree species include hornbeam, oak, beech, birch, wild cherry, small-leaved lime and yew reflecting the mix of species present in the adjoining semi-ancient woodland at Munt’s Wood (and why it has been named 'Lower Munt's Wood').
The final 600 trees were planted by a team of brilliant volunteers, at two events hosted by Chiltern Rangers, on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 March. This included a group of scouts from Aylesbury.
Roddimore Wood - Winslow
Over 5,000 trees have been planted in Roddimore Wood, located between Winslow and Great Horwood. Planted in recycled plastic tubes, of note is Black Poplar which is an important species for the local area, and blackthorn, a favoured food source for brown hairstreak butterfly larvae – rated as high priority on butterfly conservation lists.
There are two small watercourses running along the edge of this site, so we have designed a ‘riparian area’ with species that thrive in wetter conditions, including alder and willows.
Isle of Wight Wood - Gerrards Cross
The Isle of Wight Wood, situated alongside the M25, has now been successfully planted.
This small but mighty 1.1 hectares site has been planted with 2020 trees in tubes: an intimate mix of broadleaf species including silver birch, wild cherry, hornbeam, small-leaved lime and oak alongside species including field maple, hazel and hawthorn.
The woodland is situated alongside one of the busiest sections of the M25, so in time will directly contribute to improving air quality and noise reduction.
Within the site is a dedicated area left open for natural colonisation – a more energy and resource efficient approach to woodland creation that we are trying for the first time. On advice from our planting design experts, this area contains two dense pockets of tree whips in order to boost the success rate for regeneration over the coming years.
Innisfree Wood - Great Missenden
Covering just over one hectare, the tree species that were selected for Innisfree Wood are those found in the adjacent semi-ancient woodland, extending wildlife corridors alongside the busy A413.
We have also upweighted species that might provide a future sustainable timber source for coppicing, notably hazel but also some spindle and wayfaring trees.
Huntsmoor Park Wood – Iver
Huntsmoor Park Wood has been designed as a community woodland for everyone to enjoy with an open area where seating will be established, when the woodland is opened up for public use. As a nod to the past, we intend to include heritage fruit trees which will be installed in the Autumn as the next planting season opens. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Buckinghamshire was famous for its orchards and soft fruit varieties, supplying fruit to the markets in London.
Another Buckinghamshire village, Seer Green, earned the nickname ‘Cherry Pie Village’ and became a popular destination in spring for those wanting to see the cherry blossoms. There will also be a high proportion of English Oak trees planted. Oaks support more life forms than any other native tree (over 2,300), hosting hundreds of insect species and supplying many birds with shelter and an important food source. Into the autumn, mammals such as squirrels, badgers, and deer feed on the acorns.
Tiny Forest – Desborough Recreation Ground, High Wycombe
The first planting of the recent season took place in High Wycombe on 3 December, with the creation of a new Tiny Forest at Desborough Recreation Ground.
Photo: Cabinet Members Thomas Broom and Jilly Jordan
Coordinated by environmental organisation, Earthwatch, 600 native trees and shrubs were densely planted in a small area (200m2 - about the size of a tennis court) using the Miyawaki method of planting: dense, fast-growing native woodland that will create a great home for butterflies, birds, bees and other local wildlife.
Volunteers included Millbrook Combined School council, Uxbridge High School students who were studying the river bank in the park, local residents who regularly walk through the park, community police officers and Councillors Thomas Broom and Jilly Jordan, Cabinet Member and Deputy for Climate Change and Environment.
Local residents welcomed the new addition to the recreation ground, and enjoyed the opportunity to get involved. After school, more families joined in the planting, with young environmentalists asking to come back again the next day for more!
Check in here for updates on the Tiny Forest: Desborough Recreation Ground
How we create woodland
We work with the Property team to identify potential sites for creating new woodland, and carry out a series of checks on the environment, soil structure and surrounding area to assess suitability. We consult with the Forestry Commission and use up to date authoritative forest research data to assess what species would be most successful using climate forecasting and modelling to ensure we are planting the right tree in the right place.
We only plant native British species and endeavour to reflect what might be locally successful or important. This year we are including the following species in our planting schemes:
Black poplar, blackthorn, eared/grey willow, field maple, hawthorn, hazel, heritage fruit trees, hornbeam, oak, rowan, silver birch, small-leaved lime, spindle, wayfaring tree, whitebeam, wild cherry, wild service tree, yew.
Operationally, all our woodlands are established and managed by silviculture professionals, employing teams of contactors at the time of planting and for larger works such as spot spraying and mowing open areas. To protect the trees as they develop, some sites – particularly larger ones – are best served by deer fencing; however for other, smaller sites we are using tree shelters. Some of this winter’s new planting will use plastic tree shelters: these are made of largely recycled plastic, are more cost-effective, and are widely recognised to be more durable than most of the biodegradable alternatives currently available. We need tree shelters that are study enough to survive at least 5 years, with anticipated removal by year 7. Meanwhile, many of the biodegradable products on the market have a life expectancy of only 3 to 5 years. We will also use a take back scheme for the plastic shelters once their purpose has been served.
Protecting our young trees from browsing herbivores is very important. Wild deer, especially native species, are a significant and valued part of our natural heritage. Due to several factors (including changes in land use and lack of natural predators) deer density has dramatically increased and poses a significant risk to our woodlands, other animals that rely on this environment, and deer themselves. Therefore it is very important that we do all we can to protect our new woodlands and keep any pedestrian access gates closed at all times.
If you are aware of any issues on site, for example deer have accessed a fenced site, a tree has fallen on a fence line or a gate is not functioning correctly please get in touch with the tree planting team on 07738 500993 or [email protected]
How to get involved
We couldn’t achieve our ambitious tree planting targets without the help of our wonderful volunteers.
There are several ways you can support our mission:
- Volunteer at a tree planting event: search on local community boards and forums, we will also update this page with information about public planting events in the new woodlands we are establishing next season
- Plant a tree in your garden: there is lots of advice on what species to plant, how to plant it and maintenance and care afterwards on the Woodland Trust website
- If you don’t have a garden you can apply to plant a tree on council land
- If you represent a local group or school you can apply for free trees and in some cases additional support from organisations like the Woodland Trust and the Tree Council
- For more information about Bucks Tree Mission visit Bucks tree planting Schemes.
If you are aware of any issues at our woodlands that we should know about, do get in touch with the Tree Planting Team at [email protected]