Following a successful first year at the Red Brick Building in Glastonbury, The Tree Conference this year moves to the Merlin Theatre in Frome.

Last year’s conference brought together leading tree and forestry experts, environmentalists, tree lovers and enthusiasts, to celebrate the life-supporting benevolence of trees and the latest ground-breaking science surrounding them and their eco-systems. Held in partnership with The Royal Forestry Society, The Woodland Trust, Resurgence & Ecologist, Permaculture Magazine and a number of other partners, the event also showcased local initiatives in Somerset exemplifying the latest international developments in this work.

Now part of the International Tree Foundation, this year’s Tree Conference aims to inspire citizen-lead reforestation and the growth of ancient forests in the UK, as well as the wider re-greening our Earth.

Check out the programme for this year’s line-up.

The event will call out of the woodwork, the scores of excellent tree projects, educators, artists and thinkers working in the area, and invite them to network for planting in Somerset, as well as hosting inspiring national and international project representatives.

Other topics to be covered on the day will include:

  • Forest Defenders
  • Supporting forest consciousness
  • Science and health of forests and the soil globally with particular focus on the UK
  • “Tree-mend-us” education – particularly for teens and foresters
  • More on the amazing science, politics, law, arts and culture of trees
  • New forestry grants, the Northern Forest and the impacts of HS2, G5, rail network deforestation and solutions for halting deforestation in law.

Our core team of collaborators is listed below. As a networking event we are also reaching out to work with a variety of volunteers and projects that will be listed in the coming months.

While this conference is mainly about trees, we are also supportive of a variety of methods to enhance carbon sequestration with soil, purify the atmosphere, waterways and oceans, support the o-zone layer’s ability to function, and generally look to balance Nature’s natural cycles in harmony with humans and other life forms.

We also want to highlight the growing body of wisdom for working with trees and forests globally. We would like to see significantly more land given over to planting trees locally and look to support all bodies and individuals to meet this aim.

We fully understand that woodland planting is not always the best use of land and that the needs of farm owners, alternative habitats, and other community requirements must be fully heard and understood.

Bearing in mind UK forest cover is currently at 12% and England’s at 10%, we agree with the conclusions of the Read Report that large-scale tree planting is one of our best options for sequestering carbon from the atmosphere and supporting the long-term structure and water retention of our soil.

If you like to find out more about the people in the team that have put this event together please go to the Team page.

Thank you for your interest and passion.