The 2025 Urban Tree Festival

Saturday 10th May

4.30am - Dawn Chorus Walks in Central Park, Plymouth
Experience the symphony of bird songs as the new day emerges in Central Park. Also on Sunday, 11th May.

10.30am - Guided Walk: 'Woody': the Story of London's Most Famous Tree, London
Twice: Sat May 10th & Sat May 17th
Explore the story of London's historic plane tree and its relationship with its urban surroundings. Also on Saturday, 17th May.

11.00am - 12.00noon - Tree Life: A Guided Creative Walk in Castle Bromwich, West Midlands
A walk around Castle Bromwich Parkland focusing on the Black Pines and Oak trees through creative engagement.

2.00pm - 4.00pm - Discovering the Magic of Trees: Through Games, Nature-Art and Mindfulness, London
Connect with trees through family-friendly games, crafts, and mindfulness activities.

TBC - Tree Protection Orders
Tom Reidman, Tree Officer Leeds, talks all things Tree Protection Orders. More event info coming soon!

Sunday 11th May

4.30am - Dawn Chorus Walks in Central Park, Plymouth
Experience the symphony of bird songs as the new day emerges in Central Park. Also on Saturday 10th May.

11.00am - 13.00pm - City Mulberry Trail: From Bank to Temple, London
Trace London's history through its mulberry trees with expert guidance.

11.00am - 12.30am - Urban Trees for Food Sovereignty: Tree Walk in Leytonstone, London
Explore the ecological and cultural diversity of trees in Langthorne Park.

12.00noon - Free Tree Distribution with Wakefield District, On-line Presentation
An online presentation with Roger Parkinson BEM showing how they successfully supplied thousands of trees for peoples gardens and larger plots of land.

2.00pm - 3.30pm - Southwark Park Tree Walk
Join Paul Wood on a tour of the trees in one of South London’s finest and oldest parks.

2.00pm - 4.00pm - A Working Party @ Hendon Tiny Orchard, London
Volunteer in conservation work and critical conversations in Hendon’s orchard.

Monday 12th May

11.00am - Trees in Kew Gardens’ Library and Archives, London
Kew Gardens’ Archives and Illustrations teams will host show and tell sessions relating to themes of colonialism and deforestation, historic uses of trees, and the role of trees in cities.

11.00am - 12noon - ParkBathe in MHA The Wilderness (All Mobilities Welcome) Croydon, London
Discover mindful connection in nature, guided for low mobility individuals.

12.00noon - Urban Trees and Plant Guilds with Trees For Cities, Webinar
Join Trees for Cities who present case studies from two projects, and learn about the benefits of Plant Guilds in Urban forest planting schemes.

12.00noon - Planting more urban trees - what we've learned through four years of action research, Webinar
The Trees Outside Woodland project, a collaboration between The Tree Council, Defra, and local authorities, explores urban tree planting methods such as Miyawaki mini forests and community nurseries to improve tree cover and foster a connection to trees.

6.30pm Mapping Social and Cultural Values of Trees with Citizen Science, Webinar
A webinar exploring treezilla.org and how to record the social and cultural values of urban trees.

Tuesday 13th May

10.30am - Leeds City Centre Trees: A Tour, Leeds
Explore the key trees in Leeds City Centre on this guided tour.

11.00am - Nature Walk - Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
An exclusive walk exploring the role of trees in a healthcare setting.

11.30am - Wembley Park Walkabout, Wembley, London
Discover urban tree planting and maintenance challenges on a grand scale in Wembley Park, on this popular walk and talk with Julian Tollast, Head of Masterplanning and Design at Quintain.

12.00noon - Urban Trees and Plant Guilds TBC - Webinar with The Tree Council - Coming Soon!
This introduction to Plant Guilds explores how plants can support each other, using case studies from Trees for Cities projects to demonstrate their benefits in urban forest planting schemes and offering ideas for enhancing your own urban planting projects in public spaces or gardens.

3.30pm - Cosy Club: Bromford Trees Old and New - Walk & Creative Activities, Birmingham
Exploring trees outside The Hub, on the Bromford Estate. Learn how to care for the newly planted trees and be inspired by some of the older trees. Creative fun for primary school aged families.

6.00pm - Evening talk with The Tree Council - More info coming Soon! Webinar

Wednesday 14th May

10.00am - Trees for Wellbeing Walk at Gateshead Riverside Park, Gateshead
Experience mindfulness and nature connection in urban green spaces.

11.00am - Guided tours of the Hackney Community Tree Nursery by the Tree Musketeers
Tours will run 14th, 16th & 17th May
The tours will be led by three experienced tree nursery volunteers: Marcelo White, Arboriculturalist at LB Islington; Christine Kings, Chair of the Tree Musketeers; and Neil Sinden, Trustee of the Tree Musketeers

11.30am - Tour of the Lesnes Abbey Arboretum, London
A walk featuring rare native trees and exotic species planted in the arboretum. Also on Saturday, 19th May.

1.00pm - Chat with Trees and Design an Urban Treescape, Webinar
Urban trees clean our air, support biodiversity, and contribute to community well-being. Join our webinar to explore innovative tools from the Branching Out project, including AI based project "Chat with Trees" and the "Mobile Treescapes Game."

1.00pm- Accessible Guided Tree Walk in Kennington Park, London
Learn to identify trees in Kennington Park in this inclusive event for all.

2.00pm - Lesnes Abbey Woodland Walk, London
Discover ancient woodlands famous for chestnut trees and diverse habitats. Also on Saturday, 19th May.

2.00pm - Learn How to Set Up Your Own Community Orchard Workshop, Leeds
Gain key insights to establish your own community orchard and see real-life projects.

Thursday 15th May

9.00am - Introduction to Green Wood Work
Join us in Eccup for a one-day green woodworking workshop, where you'll learn basic techniques, use tools like the drawknife and axe, create a stool and spatula to take home, and enjoy tea and cake.

10.00am - 12noon - Tree Glee: Forest Bathing in Hampstead Heath, London
Experience mindful movement, sensory exercises, and walking meditation in Hampstead Heath. Also on Tuesday, 13th May.

12.00noon - Woodland Trust Webinar
More info coming soon - watch this space!

Time TBC - Roots & Rebellion: Mindful Art & Zine-Making, Plumstead, London
Explore creativity and rebellious spirit through DIY zine-making, with Urban Curiosity, reflecting on trees' connection to people and places.

Friday 16th May

9.00am - 12.00noon- Introduction to Green Wood Work, Leeds
Learn green wood techniques and make craft items in Eccup's woodland workshop.

10.00am - Fruit Tree Nursery Volunteer Day, Leeds
Join a day of tasks to nurture fruit trees, complete with a vegan homemade lunch.

11.00am - Guided tours of the Hackney Community Tree Nursery by the Tree Musketeers
Tours will run 14th, 16th & 17th May
The tours will be led by three experienced tree nursery volunteers: Marcelo White, Arboriculturalist at LB Islington; Christine Kings, Chair of the Tree Musketeers; and Neil Sinden, Trustee of the Tree Musketeers

12.00noon - Urban Labor-a-Tree – growing York’s treescape, University of York
Experience the complexities of urban greening through a collaborative treescapes board game.  Two sessions today.

12.00noon - Mapping social and cultural values of trees and more … with Citizen Science, Webinar
We discuss the broader social and cultural values of urban trees and demonstrate how to use Treezilla.org to engage communities in mapping and monitoring urban forests.

Saturday 17th May

Our jam-packed final Saturday has something for everyone, plus more info coming soon on Tree Musketeers Family Open Day!

10.00am - Forest / Muddy Yoga, Hampstead, London
Engage in forest yoga, mindfulness, and sound bath sessions in Hampstead Heath.  (Mid-Saturday each month.)

10.00am - Blossom Trail at the Peace Orchard, Coventry
The Peace Orchard was crested by WW11 veteran Dennis Davison in 2014 and is his legacy and reminder of why peace is so important.

10.30am -Guided Walk: 'Woody': the Story of London's Most Famous Tree, London
Twice: Sat May 10th & Sat May 17th
Discover the intriguing history of London's ancient plane tree in a guided tour. (Also on Saturday, 10th May.)

10.30am - Tree Life : a guided creative walk on Hodge Hill Common, Solihull
The walkshop at Hodge Hill Common invites participants of all ages to explore local habitats and folklore, while creatively contributing to plans for an urban orchard.

11.00am - Guided tours of the Hackney Community Tree Nursery by the Tree Musketeers -
Tours will run 14th, 16th & 17th May
The tours will be led by three experienced tree nursery volunteers: Marcelo White, Arboriculturalist at LB Islington; Christine Kings, Chair of the Tree Musketeers; and Neil Sinden, Trustee of the Tree Musketeers

11.00am - Epping Forest Family Walk with Black Girls Hike, London
A family-friendly walk blending ecology, history, and activities in Epping Forest.

11.00am - Urban Tree Walk in Mile End Park (ages 18-26), London
Join Trees for Cities in this youth-focused exploration of trees in Mile End Park in the heart of Tower Hamlets.

11.00am - Spring Open Day, Hastings
Come along and find out about Ore Community Land Trust, volunteering opportunities, plant sale, refreshments and a tour of Speckled Wood.

11.00am - Re-Birth Participatory Photography Workshop, London
Collaborative community art activity in St Ann’s Green Spaces, focusing on memory and connection to trees.

11.30am - Tour of the Lesnes Abbey Arboretum
Learn about native and exotic trees in Lesnes Abbey Woods' arboretum.  (Also on Wednesday, 14th May.)

12.00noon - Orchard Fruit Day, Leeds
A celebration of our new community roached, including planting and grafts, bird seed making, and juice making from freshly picked fruit.

12.00noon Time TBC - The Zephaniah Forest Tree Walk, Birmingham
A guided tour exploring tree species and dedicated poems in the Zephaniah Poetree Trail with Birmingham Tree People.

2.00pm - Lesnes Abbey Woodland Walk
Explore ancient woodlands and diverse habitats of Lesnes Abbey. (also on Wednesday, 14th May)

6.30pm - Art of Climbing Trees Theatrical Book Launch & Exhibition Party, Bristol
Dive into a theatrical celebration of the book “Art of Climbing Trees,” blending art, history, and ecological insights.

Sunday 18th May

11:00am - What’s Blooming in Bloomsbury Square? A Tree Hugger’s Trail, London
Join Gerit Quealy, author of Botanical Shakespeare, and UTF’s Paul Wood, author of The Street Tree, for a Shakespeare tree walk in Bloomsbury Square, joined by the Friends of Bloomsbury Square. The walk ends at the Cordon Bleu café in Pied Bull Yard.

11.00am - Parkbathe Stroll in Priory Gardens, Orpington, London
ParkBathe uses aspects of 'forest bathing', forest school and mindfulness and involves walking slowly in a local green space whilst noticing our surroundings (no water is involved!)

11.30am - Discover Trees in Epping Forest
Two walks: 11:30am-12:30pm & 1:30pm-2:30pm
Join Francis Castro to explore the vital role of trees in Epping Forest and learn about ongoing conservation efforts during Highams Park Spring Festival.

1.00pm - The Trees in Myatt's Fields Park, London
Learn about the trees of Myatt’s Fields Park with volunteer gardener John.

1.45pm - Tree Connections: Workshop and Walk on Hampstead Heath
Connect to the significance of trees through a workshop and walk, drawing on the importance of the natural world in many world religions, concluding with hot drinks at Hampstead Heath.

2.00pm - Plane Spotting with Linett Kamala & Sam Furness, London
Discover London's Plane trees and their cultural importance on a guided tour around Kilburn Park.

2.00pm - Tree Hunting with Paul Wood
Paul talks about his new book, ‘Tree Hunting’ at the Dulwich Festival.

5.00pm(TBC) - Tree Stories. A screening at the Garden Cinema – The Felling with speakers Sarah Vachon, Gerit Quealy & more!
Join us at The Garden Cinema, near Covent Garden & Bloomsbury, for a gathering on saving urban trees, featuring ‘The Felling’, a shocking documentary on Sheffield’s tree battle, plus expert talks, tree stories, and special treats!

6.00pm(TBC) Tim Stead Magician with Wood - Film, Imagine Leeds
Join us for a showing of this film by Tim Stead, with an introduction from Leeds Coppice Workers.