Why plant trees?

Trees are amazing things. They give us the oxygen that we need to live, they help limit global heating by dragging carbon out of the air and locking it away, they give shade in the summer, they help fight flooding, they provide homes and food for wildlife, they improve our mental health, and they’re beautiful. It's simple - we need as many of them as we can get!

Low Carbon East Oxford is joining international efforts to increase the number of trees on our planet, and, more locally, doing our bit to help double tree cover in Oxfordshire

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Community Tree Planting Projects


We have an active trees group of LCEO members working to increase tree coverage in east Oxford, led by Ruthi Brandt.

Most recently, the group organised a free sapling giveaway for local residents to celebrate Tree Week in November 2020!

Want to get involved? Email Ruthi on trees@lceo.org.uk to find out more and join their next meeting.


 

Thinking about planting a tree?

 

If you have space in your garden for a new tree, then you might find the info below useful.  We encourage you to choose a native species, to support local wildlife.

 

Native Species which are suitable for small gardens

 

This is not an exhaustive list, but here are a selection of native trees which won’t get too big for a small urban garden.  They are also great providers of food for wildlife (and, in all cases except the holly, for you too!).

 

Very small trees 

Small trees

Crab apple 

(final size up to 7-9m)

Hawthorn 

(final size up to 15m but controllable by pruning)

Hazel 

(final size up to 10m or more, but controllable by pruning)

Rowan

(final size up to 15m)

Blackthorn (sloe) 

(final size up to 6-7m)

Holly 

(final size up to 15m)

Juniper

(final size up to 10m)

Elder 

(final size up to 10m but controllable by pruning)
 

Saplings may be found self-sown beneath existing trees (ask your friends and neighbours!), or you can buy them.  A great source of inexpensive baby trees is The Woodland Trust shop: https://shop.woodlandtrust.org.uk

 
Need some advice?  

Here are some pages which give great, clear advice:


How to Choose Which Species to Plant:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/advice/choose/

 

How to Plant Your Tree:
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/advice/how-to-plant/

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/how-to-plant-a-tree

 

How to Care for Your Tree:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/advice/care/

 

 

Essentially, you need to make sure that any tree you plant will have space to grow as big as it wants to without it causing a problem to the foundations of your house (or your neighbours’ houses), without it depriving people or other plants of sunlight, and without it having to compete with other trees for water and nutrients.  Roughly speaking, this means that it needs to be planted a minimum of two meters away from buildings, existing trees, and fences.

 

During its first tender years, in order to thrive, your tree will need watering during any dry spells, you’ll need to clear competing weeds from around the stem, and it will need protection from animals which may want to eat it.  Your tree will handle the rest!

 

We hope you enjoy choosing, planting, caring for, and getting to know your new tree!