Volunteer Tree Warden pilot scheme launched to protect and nurture trees
A new Tree Warden scheme has been launched in St Albans District to give residents an opportunity to care for their local environment.
St Albans City and District Council has started a pilot project in the Cunningham area of the City.
The scheme will be rolled out to other parts of the District where there is interest from residents after the pilot is completed.
Volunteer Tree Wardens have already been recruited for the Cunningham scheme and took part in a training session at the Council’s Civic Centre on the role of a tree warden and how they will help protect and nurture trees.
This included guidance on watering, reporting concerns and carrying out some other vital tasks.
The wardens will check on trees on public land such as communal green spaces, play areas and footpaths. This is in addition to the Council’s three-yearly tree safety inspections.
The training session was attended by Sam Village, the Tree Council’s National Tree Warden Scheme Coordinator, who has supported the initiative.
Afterwards, she joined Councillor Jacqui Taylor, Lead for Sustainability and Climate, and the Tree Wardens to plant a ceremonial oak tree at the Cunningham Hill Open Space.
The event marked the start of National Tree Week which runs from Saturday 22 until Sunday 30 November.
Councillor Taylor said:
National Tree Week has our active support and coincides with the launch of our pilot Tree Warden scheme.
Our Tree Wardens have the potential to become community heroes as the voluntary work they do will help protect and nurture our trees now and for future generations.
They will be our eyes and ears as far as the trees in Cunningham go, watering trees, checking them and reporting any concerns like possible disease or broken branches to us.
As a Council, one of the actions we have been taking to tackle the climate emergency is to plant more trees around the District.
Tree wardens can help by keeping an eye on our trees and if the Cunningham scheme takes root as we are confident it will, we will look to expand it across the District.
Sam Village said:
We are delighted to support the local authority in launching the St Albans Tree Warden network, empowering residents to play an active role in caring for their local trees.
Together, they are helping to create a stronger, greener community as they join thousands of volunteer Tree Wardens across the country in planting, caring for and protecting trees for the future.
Other Tree Warden tasks will include looking for potential planting sites and checking on the stakes and ties of young trees.
In addition, they will help with the Council’s annual tree giveaway under the Your Tree, Our Future scheme, run in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council.
During December, 12,000 trees will be distributed free to District residents and community groups. This will bring the total given away since the scheme started in 2022 to 35,000.
Trees help the environment by keeping the atmosphere rich in oxygen, filtering pollutants from the air and ensuring shade during hot spells.
They also provide a natural habitat for wildlife such as birds and squirrels.
Anyone interested in becoming a tree warden in Cunningham or being involved in a scheme elsewhere in the District should email treewardens@stalbans.gov.uk.
For more information about National Tree Week, visit this website.
Photos: top from the left, Cllr Jacqui Taylor and Sam Village at the front with spade and fork with Cunningham Tree Wardens Anthony Helm, David Blackburn and Marjorie Stevens; first below, Cllr Taylor and Sam Village at the tree planting; second below, Sam Village and Cllr Taylor at the training session.
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.