Trees are important for many reasons – they support wildlife, slow water, capture and store carbon, filter and cool air, and contribute to our collective culture and memories, health and wellbeing.

That’s why we are supporting communities across the Dorset Council area with their plans for planting and caring for trees in their patch so they can help ensure that our trees – old and new – are managed to benefit wildlife, climate and communities.

The project has two main strands:

• Dorset Community Tree Fund
• Volunteer Tree Wardens

The Dorset Community Tree Fund is open to community organisations in the Dorset Council area, especially parish and town councils and schools, along with community groups who have a constitution, a bank account in the group’s name and public liability insurance.  There is a rolling application window and the fund will  remain open until all funds are allocated (we expect this to be by March 2025).

Projects must:

• be on land within the Dorset Council area
• have some public access
• have necessary permissions in place (landowner, statutory bodies, etc)
• have the support of the community and parish/town council where appropriate

Head to the Dorset Community Tree Fund page for all the details: Dorset Community Tree Fund

For those parish and town councils who wish to appoint ‘Volunteer Tree Wardens’ we’re piloting a training and support offer (based on Tree Council ‘tree warden networks’).  Parish and town councils who wish to participate can appoint one or more volunteer tree wardens who will have access to a mix of Tree Council training modules (covering topics such as trees and the law, tree biology etc) and supplementary workshop sessions according to demand.  (Where parish and town councils already have a volunteer tree warden in post, they are welcome to join this pilot scheme for additional training and support, but there’s no obligation.)  Volunteer tree wardens will act under the auspices of their local parish/town council, as a contact and support for tree related matters in their local area – they are not expected to be experts and will not take on roles that are within the remit of Dorset Council Tree Officers and other Teams.