Blog - Conservation

Armed with spades, smiles, and enthusiasm, we joined forces with the amazing Westonbirt staff, united by a shared passion for the environment to plant trees as part of the Silk Wood Community Planting Project.

The Silk Wood Community Planting Project is off to a good start in 2024 with local community groups planting the first 200 trees to regenerate a section of Silk Wood at the arboretum.

Westonbirt Arboretum's enchanting landscape faces a bittersweet change this year as a cherished beech will depart the arboretum this March, but hope blossoms anew.

Winter is a great time to start birdwatching at Westonbirt Arboretum, many trees are without leaves, making it easier to spot them and get a closer look. And, during the winter months some birds are pretty vocal, making their presence known!...

Silk Wood is stirring. Two years after the loss of its ash trees, this community woodland is poised for a comeback as we embark on the first phase of a three-year regeneration project.

King Charles III joined staff at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum to plant a critically endangered tree this week.

Native to the Caucasus and the Pontic Mountains of northeastern Turkey, this month's tree of the month is among the most attractive spruces, with a dense form with short branches.

This October we're highlighting the shagbark hickory tree which is a golden highlight of this season, find out more...

Over the summer, a team of volunteers conducted a baseline survey in Silk Wood to discover which flora and fauna are present after a period of fallow following on from ash tree felling due to Chalara.

We’re thrilled to announce that Westonbirt Arboretum has raised over £350,000 towards Phase One of the ‘Silk Wood Community Planting Project’.

The Silk Wood Community Planting Project is a great example of how schoolchildren can be involved in the design and management of their local environment. Find out more about the recent forest design workshops...

As autumn arrives and the leaves begin to turn, this time of year is also a wonderful time to explore the diversity of fruits found around the arboretum. Take a closer look at the Japanese rowan in this month's blog...

The bottlebrush buckeye is a beautiful shrub that gets its name from its bottlebrush-like inflorescences. The white flowers with red anthers bloom in August, making the bottlebrush buckeye a truly spectacular sight. Find out more...

Earlier this year, the Coppice Regeneration Project saw the completion of a purpose-built shelter for the Coppice compound at Westonbirt Arboretum, thanks to funding from The Friends through the continued support of members and donors. Find out more...

After introducing Oscar and his role a couple of months ago, he has been busy behind the scenes planning and making progress getting ready for the project to regenerate a part of Silk Wood. Read on to learn about his trip to Delamere Nursery...