Blog - Participation & Community

Local community groups, schools and colleges joined forces to help plant 3,400 trees at Westonbirt, The National Arboretum this November to April to reach a total of 6,700 since last year.

The Silk Wood Community Planting Project team were recently joined by Climate Scientists from Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission, to install a Tree Growth Monitoring Station at the Silk Wood Community Planting Project site.

Find out more about the sapling tree guard testing that's been going on at the Silk Wood Community Planting Project...

Lights, camera, Westonbirt! Students and artist Justin Quinnell explored the magic of pinhole photography, from giant eyeball cameras to self-made turmeric paper. They even used cream crackers and cans to capture stunning images of the trees they helped plant. See their incredible results!...

Want to learn more about how we connected creativity and ecology at Westonbirt? Read this full blog post to discover how we transformed a community planting project into a vibrant art experience with the Bristol Hospital Education Service!...

Winter storms took their toll, but our volunteers stepped up! Discover how we rallied together to repair the damage and ensure the survival of young trees at our planting site in our latest update.

9,000 trees will be planted in Silk Wood over the next two years, thanks to an incredible grant from the Julia Rausing Trust.

Eco-acoustics, or acoustic ecology, is the study of sound in the environment – including human generated noise (anthrophony), sounds generated by nature (biophony), or even sounds of the earth such as wind, waves, and geological movements (geophony).

With the crisp autumn air and shorter days upon us, let’s revisit the warmer, albeit wetter, months of the Silk Wood Community Planting Project.

Autumn is here, which means it’s the start of the season of fruiting and fading, where berries abound, leaves blaze, and the sun looks glorious! It's also the start of seed gathering season, where arboretum collections are expanded internationally through dedicated seed gathering trips.

The Silk Wood Community Planting Project team and volunteers recently conducted a 'beat-up survey' to assess the survival rate of saplings planted last year.

We've been incredibly fortunate to have Mother Nature as a dedicated volunteer. She's not only helped us plant over 30 trees (that we know of) but has also provided invaluable care and nourishment for our green spaces. And the best part? She works completely for free!...

A whirlwind of creativity! We had a blast reviewing the amazing woodland designs created by local school groups. These inspiring ideas will help shape the future of Silk Wood. Stay tuned for updates on the chosen design!...

Sun, plants, and learning! Last month, we joined a Field Studies Council course to learn how to identify woodland plants. It was a fantastic two days of exploring the beautiful Silk Wood and gaining new knowledge about our local ecosystem.

Changes Bristol recently spent a day at Westonbirt Arboretum, nurturing saplings and learning about the vital role forests play in our ecosystem. Discover how this rewarding experience benefitted both their mental well-being and the planet.