Sherwood Forest Trust is expanding its Community Tree Nursery, creating the capacity to grow thousands more native trees for historic Sherwood and communities across Nottinghamshire.
Established in 2023, the Community Tree Nursery is set to grow thanks to a combination of funding from the Defra Tree Production Capital Grant (TPCG), an incredibly generous £8,200 donation from Roy Smith in memory of his brother, Barry, and the provision of additional land by one of the Trust’s trustees.
The investment will enable the nursery to significantly increase production, particularly of larger, feathered trees, helping meet growing demand for locally sourced native trees for woodland creation, restoration and community planting projects.
New infrastructure will include expanded rainwater harvesting, automated irrigation and additional growing space. These improvements will increase the nursery’s capacity, improve the quality and resilience of the trees it produces, reduce reliance on mains water and free up valuable staff and volunteer time.
The expansion will also allow the nursery to grow a wider range of native species and increase genetic diversity through the careful collection and tracking of locally sourced seed from across the Sherwood area. Species include oak, wild cherry, rowan, silver birch, hawthorn, hazel, field maple, holly, yew and several willow species.
Demand for locally grown, UK and Ireland Sourced and Grown native trees continues to exceed supply, and there is already interest in the additional trees the nursery will produce.
Alongside the grant funding, the Trust has received a particularly meaningful donation from Roy Smith in memory of his brother Barry, who passed away in 1994.
Roy is supporting causes that were important to Barry and chose the Sherwood Forest Trust because it provides a lasting legacy, helping future generations benefit from projects that invest in nature and the landscape Barry loved.
“This donation is a wonderful investment in the future trees we will grow, benefiting both people and wildlife for generations to come.
What makes the Community Tree Nursery so special is the generosity that runs through it. Thousands of volunteer hours, community groups ready to plant, supporters who donate, and partners who invest in our work are all helping to grow the future of Sherwood. We are hugely grateful to Roy for his support, and to the Defra Tree Production Capital Grant for helping make this expansion possible.”
Helen Sullivan, CEO, Sherwood Forest Trust
The nursery will continue to grow over the coming years, and there are many ways for people to support its future.
Whether you’re looking for locally grown native trees for a community project, farm, estate or woodland, interested in volunteering, or would like to make a donation in support of Sherwood’s future trees, the Trust would love to hear from you.
Want to help grow the future of Sherwood?
