Information for Community Groups and Volunteers

How communities can support the Tree Ring

Involving local communities in planting and maintenance, as well as hosting or supporting a range of woodland related events, enhances the way the public value woodland.

Community interests cover a very broad band of stakeholders encompassing public use and public interest in woodland creation. This group includes:

• Residents and visitors for whom tree cover is part of the landscape, a place to walk, a visual or environmental amenity to which they feel attached.
• Those residents who may notice tree cover but currently do little to engage with it and who might be encouraged to engage more.
• Community interest groups, such as local climate action groups, agenda 21 groups, local civic charities, schools, residents’ associations, scout and girlguiding groups, youth and sports clubs, Rotary Clubs and so on.
• Volunteers or potential volunteers who want to play an active part in woodland creation and conservation programmes.

These stakeholders have energy and enthusiasm which can support other stakeholders in practical form but also in how they communicate their messages.

They are increasingly being called upon for input into policy development, such as the Friends of Thetford Forest, who sit on local and national policy advisory groups. The general public are a core element in consulting on woodland creation proposals.

Community groups often have strong views and can feel disenfranchised and ignored by decision makers. Early stakeholder engagement in the development of woodland creation plans can be the key to securing constructive engagement.