A remarkable community project that has seen more than 9,000 trees planted at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, has come to an end after bringing together thousands of volunteers to help restore an area of ancient woodland devastated by ash dieback.
Over the past three years, more than 4,000 people have taken part in the Silk Wood Community Planting Project, transforming a five-hectare site into what is believed to be Westonbirt’s first community woodland.
The project began after hundreds of ash trees had to be felled for safety reasons following the spread of Chalara ash dieback, leaving a once-established section of Silk Wood almost unrecognisable.
Volunteer Bill Carr witnessed the dramatic transformation first hand.
“The change was so dramatic, one minute you’re looking at woods and the next minute it’s all gone,” he said. “And now here we are, and it’s all just been reborn again.”
Rather than relying solely on forestry contractors to replant the site, Forestry England chose to involve the local community, inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to help shape the woodland’s future.
Since 2023, around 50 community groups have taken part, including schools, youth organisations, mental health charities and groups supporting adults with learning disabilities.
Together they have planted more than 9,000 native trees, including English oak, sessile oak, small-leaved lime, field maple and wild cherry, with many volunteers returning to help care for the young woodland.
The project also extended beyond tree planting. Participants took part in wellbeing sessions in nature, wildlife surveys and conservation activities designed to strengthen their connection with the woodland.
Louise Hunt Skelley, from Phoenix Enterprises, said the experience had left a lasting impression on those involved.
“It’s been so wonderful to see the impact it’s had on everyone that we support,” she said.
“Being out in the fresh air, getting exercise, most importantly having fun together.
“But what’s super cool is, I feel like we’ve left a legacy on a local area that is clearly very special.”
Local schools also played a role in designing parts of the woodland.
Around 200 pupils from schools across Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol were invited to help plan footpaths and planting areas, with one pupil’s design becoming part of the finished landscape.
Aurelie Brunet-Lua, from Cam Everlands Primary School in Dursley, said: “The project leader came to our school. Our pupils all had a go at designing something for the project and our pupil Emily designed the roundabout section.
“Then we were invited to come back. We love the project. We’ve enjoyed just seeing the design come to life.”
Alongside its community benefits, the project has produced encouraging environmental results.
Surveys have recorded more than 80 species of wildflower and over 50 bird species across the site, while the newly planted trees have achieved a 94 per cent survival rate – well above the average of around 65 per cent for community woodland projects.
Project Manager Oscar Adams believes the greatest achievement has been the connection people now feel with the woodland.
“You look around the plantation, and there are now 9,000 trees here, so that’s a lot of connections that many people who planted them now have with the arboretum,” he said.
“A lot of them say they want to come back and see their trees grow, which is very, very special. It proves that when somebody’s planted a tree, they feel a connection with that tree.”
Although the formal planting project has now concluded, Forestry England says Silk Wood will continue to be managed with support from community groups, ensuring the woodland develops into a thriving habitat for wildlife while remaining a place where future generations can enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of nature.
The project was supported by the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum together with funding from a range of charitable organisations and public bodies, helping turn an area once scarred by disease into a lasting example of community-led woodland restoration.
