Eastbourne Treebourne

When community group Eastbourne Treebourne was given the opportunity to create woodland on a plot of land on the edge of the town, the group took it upon themselves to plant over 2000 native trees. Over 250 volunteers of all ages signed up to help.

Treebourne is one of several environmental community groups in Eastbourne formed as a result of the local council’s 2030 Net Zero pledge in 2018. The changes required to achieve a carbon-neutral town are monumental and the ambition undoubtedly ignited the grassroots community response in the seaside town.

Eastbourne, like many coastal towns, has tree cover that is well below the national average. Eastbourne Treebourne prioritised sites with particularly low tree cover that are easily accessible by people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, making sure not to displace other ecologically valuable habitats.

The group is made up of volunteers from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages, with a range of skills and varying amounts of spare time squeezed into busy lives. They do not have a member with a background in arboriculture and found that there is a lot of conflicting information on the internet. They needed direct answers from an expert in the field to provide clarity and confidence.

We provided an experienced arboriculturalist who advised the Eastbourne group on the best methodology for tree planting, pre-planting management and post planting maintenance of the site. He also gave advice on specific problems that they had not considered, such as strong winds on the South Downs and pests and diseases in the area.

Eastbourne Treebourne’s plans were approved by council ecologists and the South Downs National Park, who supplied the trees. On an unseasonal sunny weekend in January, over 250 volunteers arrived to plant the trees. The sessions were fully booked within 48 hours. The following weekend, local schools brought more children than they had spaces for. Project leaders reported an insatiable demand for tree planting in this town – a real desire to do something.

It has not been an easy year to plant trees, given the severe drought experienced. Teams were set up to care for the trees after planting. Elm, hornbeam, hawthorn and hazel are doing noticeably better the most. As the landscape develops, Eastbourne Treebourne are adapting their plans, taking stock and seeing what takes.