The Zephaniah Forest Tree Walk

Event Information

Birmingham TreePeople have recently finished planting The Zephaniah Forest, with partners the Benjamin Zephaniah Family Legacy Group, and we invite everyone to visit Burbury Park to see this legacy for Benjamin Zephaniah.

This guided tree walk will follow The Zephaniah Poetree Trail, where we can read the dedicated poems, and talk about the diverse selection of tree species - including a community orchard.

About Benjamin Zephaniah

Benjamin Zephaniah is a celebrated British poet and activist, known for fusing reggae rhythms with powerful social and political themes. Born in Birmingham in 1958 to Jamaican parents, he left school early and turned to poetry as a way to express his experiences with racism and exclusion. His debut collection, Pen Rhythm, published at 22, brought spoken word into the literary spotlight.

Zephaniah's work tackles race, inequality, and justice, and he famously rejected an OBE in 2003 due to its ties to colonialism. Alongside poetry, he wrote novels like Refugee Boy and remains a vocal advocate for youth education. His influence spanned literature, activism, and media; including a role in Peaky Blinders, making him a key figure in contemporary British culture.

Contributors

Birmingham TreePeople

In Burbury Park, Newtown, there are now 65 new trees signifying each year of a life well-lived and respected, dedicated to Benjamin Zephaniah. In a final celebratory planting session, the legacy forest dedicated to Benjamin was completed by returning community members and volunteers from previous sessions, a myriad of winning poets from the ‘Trees Please, Poetry Please?’ competition.