Twenty years of tree wardening celebrated

Forty tree wardens gather for forum near Sidmouth

MORE than 40 volunteer Tree Wardens, from across the South West, celebrated 20 years of tree wardening in the region on Saturday.

East Devon District Council, in partnership with The Tree Council, hosted the South West Regional Tree Warden Forum, where delegates heard from tree experts and discussed what important contributions tree wardens can make in their communities during the next 20 years.

Held at Exmouth Community College, speakers included Kate Tobin, talking about her Great Trees of East Devon project, and Rob Wolton of Hedgelink, speaking about his new Green Veins and Lanes project.

Tree wardening allows community volunteers to keep an eye on their local patch to help protect its trees with support from EDDC and, at national level, the Tree Council.

It embodies Government’s ‘Big Society’ plans to engage more people in becoming ‘community organisers’ and to offer them training.