Our Environment

Our natural environment works hard to capture our harmful emissions and turn them into the oxygen we breathe. We’re working hard to ensure our county is as green as possible to help us on our journey to net zero.

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Free Tree Giveaway

“Planting more trees is just one of the many ways we’re involving residents in helping achieve Northumberland’s target to become carbon neutral by 2030. Our fantastic Free Tree Giveaway scheme aims to give every household in our county the opportunity to plant a tree over the next decade, with 15,000 tree saplings up for grabs each winter.” - council leader Glen Sanderson 

*Applications are currently closed*

Frequently asked questions

What trees are on offer for residents? 
There are two tree species available for small, medium and large sized gardens, as well as small planter-based shrubs available for those with limited garden space, balconies or rented properties. 
These include: 
  • Large garden: Wild cherry, English oak 
  • Medium garden: Silver birch, Rowan 
  • Small garden: Crab apple, Holly 
  • Limited garden space: Box, Wild privet 
What’s on offer for schools, community groups and town/parish councils?
If you’re a school, community group or town/parish council you can apply for a free tree pack in sizes 10, 30, 60, 90 or 120. Choices of tree packs are:
  • Hedge - Make a natural screen or connect existing woodland to help wildlife stay on the move. You will get a variety of each species for 8 metres of full, easy to manage hedging. Species include: Hornbeam, Hawthorn, Dog Rose, Hazel
  • Copse - Plant a small group of trees as a wildlife haven, providing a valuable food and shelter source. Species include: Silver birch, Rowan, Wild Cherry, Hawthorn
  • Native Harvest -Ideal as a food source for wildlife or you can harvest the fruit and nuts for your own projects such as jams, baking etc. Species include: Hazel, Crab Apple, Elder, Rowan.
Which tree is right for me?
Have a look at our further guidance here.
 
Where can I collect my tree sapling from? 
We are running collection points across Northumberland including at:
  • Alnwick
  • Ashington
  • Bedlington
  • Berwick
  • Blyth
  • Cramlington
  • Druridge Bay
  • Hexham
  • Morpeth
  • Prudhoe
  • Rothbury
  • Wooler
The team will be in touch to let you know the date, time and location for your collection via email once applications have closed. Please make sure you bring this confirmation email when you come to collect your tree.
 
What will I get? 
The trees are small cell grown plants, approximately 30cm in length, sourced from the UK and will be provided with a biodegradable tree shelter guard, cane and planting and care instructions. 
 
When is the best time to plant my tree? 
Winter is the prime tree planting season. Saplings need to be planted when they are dormant, so they are less likely to get damaged. In the UK the best months to plant a tree are between October and March. 
 
Can I plant a tree if I rent my property? 
We advise that anyone planning on planting a tree in the ground do so on their own property or seek permission from the landowner. For those who cannot plant in the ground, we’ve selected two species of tree specifically for those who rent or have limited garden space which can be planted in pots and containers. These are under the ‘limited garden space’ section of the form and include box and wild privet species.
 
How do I change my order? 
If you have accidentally ordered the wrong sized tree for your garden, we will try to change your order. However, we can’t guarantee we will be able to accommodate everyone. Please email us at freetree@northumberland.gov.uk and we will try our best to accommodate your needs. 
 
How do I change my collection date? 
Please get in touch if you want to change your collection location, date or time by email at freetree@northumberland.gov.uk and we will try our best to accommodate your needs. 
 
I can’t access any collection points; how can I get my tree? We have tried to select collection locations that are accessible to as many residents as possible, but we understand that due to the rural landscape of Northumberland, these might not be accessible for everyone. If you cannot easily travel to one of our collection locations, please get in touch with us at freetree@northumberland.gov.uk and we will try our best to accommodate to your needs. 

Tree care

As your tree grows it will need different amounts of care and support. 

Where to plant:  

Before you plant, think about the size of your tree when it reaches maturity. Be careful not to plant too close to buildings as although small now, this could become a problem as it grows. Also be aware that the roots grow and spread as the tree grow. This might cause structural damage, so be aware of building foundations and underground services like water pipes and broadband cables. 
Make sure it’s the right conditions for your tree. Avoid planting under existing trees or shady spots and make sure to give your tree enough space to grow (1-5 m apart from other trees).  

How to Plant:  

  • Plant when trees are dormant – November-March. 
  • Prepare your site: mark out where you are going to plant, cut the grass short and remove the weeds.  
  • Plant your tree with enough space: recommend 2meter apart from other trees (1-5 meters is a good range).  

 Year 1-3:  

  • Weeding: keep 1-meter diameter around your tree free of weeds and grass as these will compete with your tree for moisture and nutrients. Manual weeding is great or using mulch (such as bark chips or straw). Chemical-based products can be used if necessary  
  • No need to water: this will help the tree adapt to your garden and natural conditions. It will encourage roots to grow downwards in search of water (instead of up to the soil surface). This will increase the trees stability. Only water if there are long dry spells, if so, saturate the ground so the water sinks deep down to the roots.  
  • Beware of mowers: make sure everyone knows where the sapling is to stop it being damaged or mowed over.

Years 3-10:  

  • Remove the tree guard: remove guard as soon as it starts to break or disintegrate (usually around 5 years+), as it has done its job now and might hamper further growth.  
  • Pruning: Not essential but encourages upwards growth (instead of outwards). Make sure to research your tree type to know when the best time of year for pruning is.  
  • Coppicing: cutting the tree near its base to encourage new growth. This is after 7-10 years. Again, make sure to research depending on the species of tree.  

 (This information is adapted from the Woodland Trust website.)  

Addressing net zero barriers in agriculture

Northumberland County Council is working with the Rural Design Centre, with funding from Innovate UK, on a project to help understand barriers to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across agriculture and forestry in Northumberland.

We want to hear from you if you work in the farming community, related businesses and supply chains. This will help us better understand the unique and local challenges facing Northumbrian agriculture and forestry. 

Please fill out our survey at https://nland.cc/ruralsurvey 

For more information, please email agriculture@northumberland.gov.uk or call 01661 721001. 

Tree Warden Scheme

The Tree Warden Scheme is a scheme of volunteers who are helping to help enhance, look after and protect trees across Northumberland.

Tree Wardens care for trees and identify suitable land for local tree planting. Along with pruning, watering, rejuvenating and giving vital aftercare to trees and greenery in their local area, the wardens will be working with schools to educate children about the importance and value that trees have to our environment. 

The scheme is currently being reviewed in order to better support volunteers in the network. We will be taking more volunteers once the review is complete. Please read the Tree Warden Volunteer role description for more information. 

 
Councillor Glen Sanderson at a plaque for tree wardens surrounded by a group of wardens and trees.

The Tree Warden scheme was officially launched by Northumberland County Council in Rothbury on Monday 4 April and was marked by the planting of 150 new tree saplings as well as the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to celebrate the occasion.   

The group Rothbury Climate and Nature all standing around a tree sapling innn a open field with shovels ready to plant some trees.

Rowan, Silver Birch, Crab Apple, Hawthorn and Cherry are some of the trees being planted on Council-owned land on the verge of the B6341 near the Beggars Rigg Car park. Katie Scott, coordinator of Rothbury Climate and Nature (CAN) group, said:
 
“We are delighted that Northumberland County Council, with The Tree Council, is creating volunteer tree warden groups across Northumberland. It is very gratifying that Rothbury Tree Wardens are acknowledged as the pioneering group for the scheme. We are soon launching our tree trail which highlights aspects of Rothbury’s history, as seen through the ‘eyes’ of some of our special trees.”  

Find out more about the Rothbury Tree Wardens here 

The Great Northumberland Forest

The Great Northumberland Forest is a plan to plant millions of trees, creating more wooded landscapes across the county by 2030.

This will help tackle the big challenges facing society, such as: 

  • Climate change 
  • Biodiversity decline 
  • Promoting health and wellbeing 
  • Supporting a thriving local economy.  

Since the programme launched in 2021 over 1,140 hectares of woodland has been created plus over 543,000 individual trees or hedgerow trees in smaller schemes have been planted. This more than 2,131 football fields!  (2,817 acres).  More will be planted in the tree-planting season (October 2022-March 2023). 

 Find out more about the Great Northumberland Forest here. 

The Northumberland Peatland Partnership

Restoring peatlands across the county delivers real-time carbon benefits.

The climate change team is now represented on the Northumberland Peat Partnership alongside the Ecology team. In autumn 2021, the Peat Partnership was successful in being awarded £779,000 in revenue funding. This will largely fund a project team to oversee conditional surveys and restoration projects for Northumberland’s peatlands.  

Find out more about the partnership and wider work here. 

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