Street and garden trees integrate with existing woodland, grading to the Cotswold edge. Access links, play areas and open conservation sites extend through this. Farms and woodlands provide food and services for the urban market, with the ‘urban forest’ having the structure to accommodate any permitted development.

I worked for the first Community Forest: the Great North Forest from its beginning in 1990 and have worked in Community Forestry since. I remain strongly of the view that a shared, progressive and long- term strategy for the countryside around England’s largest urban areas is essential. This need not be prescriptive, but should be about a common will to spend time on improving the landscape and functionality of an area, in partnership with landowners, communities and many others.

The Forest of Avon Partnership ended in 2009 having achieved a great deal. Whilst 17 years is long-term in British planning terms, this charity was established to keep the momentum going. It is really heartening to hear Bristol Mayor: George Ferguson, refer to the need for more tree planting (one of our objectives) and cross boundary working.

If you want to help keep the Forest of Avon Community Forest vision and delivery going, email me here with your ideas and/or join us as a Friend (£3/ month).

Jon Clark.

Staff from Bristol- based Alec French Architects joined local residents and Trust staff to plant a  community woodland in the village of Haydon near Radstock. The scheme took place with the kind permission of the owner, Kilmersdon Estates and was part funded by Alec French Architects, The Big Tree Plant and Bath & NE Somerset LSP.

The scheme follows on from successful promotion of the Trust’s Garden Forest scheme in Haydon, which provided advice and free trees to local residents.

Our Friends scheme is great way of supporting the Trust to develop and help deliver more community based projects across the local area.

The Radstock in Bloom committee and horticulture students from Radstock College joined Trust staff to plant trees in the driving rain at Southfield in Radstock. The 25 ornamental willows will both help to shelter Radstock Town F.C.’s pitch and also provide an attractive feature for park users. The scheme was funded by Bath & NE Somerset LSP’s Small Grants Fund and The Big Tree Plant, with kind permission for the planting being given by Radstock Town Council.

Ashmeads Kernel. Image courtesy Nick Dunn, Trees for Life.

We are really pleased to provide the following quality, English- grown fruit trees at reduced prices. All trees are in 12 litre pots and are approximately 1.5m in size. All prices are collected from Ashton Court. Delivery is £5.00 for the Bristol area.  

1 Ashmeads kernel M9 (semi- dwarfing) £18.00

1 Egremont russet M9 (semi- dwarfing) £18.00; 1 Egremont russet M9/ M27 (dwarfing/ semi- dwarfing) exact rootstock unknown, £17.00; 1 Egremont russet fan trained £25.00

1 James Grieve M26/MM106 (semi vigorous/ vigorous) exact rootstock unknown, £17.00

1 Worcester pearmain MM106 (vigorous) £18.00

1 Conference pear (Quince A: semi- vigorous) £19.00

1 Opal plum (St. Julien A: semi- vigorous) £20.00

1 Victoria plum (St. Julien A: semi- vigorous) £20.00

2 English oak in pots, approx 0.75m in size, £3.00/ each

Bare- root English oak 60- 90 cm, £0.50 to clear.

Stakes and other sundries also available.

To find out more, please email Jon Clark on jonclark@forestofavontrust.org or call Jon on (0117) 963 3383.

We were supported in the films by Forest School trainees; children and staff from Bradley Stoke Community School; and representatives from some of the organisations, businesses and Councils we have worked with.

Jon Clark, Trust Executive Director, said:

‘It was a cold and windy day, so huge thanks to everyone who took part. It was really heartening to hear everyone’s commitment to the cause. I am really pleased with three short films, which I hope speak for themselves.’

A mention has also got to go to Manor Farm Shop for an excellent warming lunch.

The videos are below: (also available on our YouTube Channel)

Tree Charity: the Forest of Avon Trust

 Tree Action in and Around Bristol

Forest School Leader Training

The Retreat looking north.

The Forest of Avon Trust is now the proud lessee of The Retreat community woodland at Beach, near Upton Cheyney. This 5.18 hectare native woodland was planted in 2000 and provides attractive woodlands walks, with great views extending over Bristol to the Severn Estuary.

Jon Clark, Forest of Avon Trust Executive Director said: ‘Taking on the lease of  The Retreat is a ‘real coming of age’ for the Trust, three years in to its life. We now have a great location for woodland walks, a fantastic site for Forest School training and new location for Tree Dedications. I would really like to thank Veale, Wasbrough, Vizards for their pro bono conveyencing support which helped make this possible.’

The Retreat is on Marshfield Lane, Beach and is clearly marked on Explorer Map 155 a mile east of Upton Cheyney, grid reference ST 710707. Telephone Jon on (0117) 963 3383 for more detailed directions.

The Retreat was formerly managed by the Woodland Trust and planted under their ‘Woods on Your Doorstep’ Lottery funded programme.

The Forest of Avon Trust has been using the Forest School approach with a number of groups of adults with learning disabilities over the last few years. Getting groups out in to local woodlands to explore and undertake a range of activities that has brought them in to close contact with nature has been fun and beneficial. Through talking to those involved we have picked up on some common themes that demonstrate how individuals and groups can benefit from this small group based experience in a natural setting over a period of time. The following link explores this in more detail – Outdoor Activities with Adults with Learning Disabilities.

For the eighth year running, the Trust is pleased to offer free trees and shrubs for communities wanting to improve their local areas.

The trees/ shrubs continue to be from seeds collected and grown locally and are supplied bare- rooted 40-60 cm in size. Where rabbits are a problem we can  also supply rabbit guards free of charge.

All you have to do is fill in this application form:  Free Trees Form 11_12 (You will need to have secured the agreement of the land- owner, confirmed the location of services and have agreed to maintain the trees.)

The free trees/ shrubs are offered on a ‘first come first served’ basis and for applications of more than 75 trees we would ask you to join our Friends scheme (from £3/ month), which enables us to fund community tree planting in to the future.

We look forward to hearing from you.

As a first step, the Trust is checking for Ash Dieback when on site and circulating accurate information about the disease. If you want to help, details of the disease, what to look for and where to report are available here. If you find something, please also email jonclark@forestofavontrust.org

Keep watching this space for updates on the disease and our response to it.

Joining us as a Friend will enable us to do more locally.