It’s more than a decade since ash dieback first arrived in Devon. Since then the disease has claimed countless mature and young trees, leaving behind gaps in our landscape.

In 2020 Devon Wildlife Trust and its partners set out to fill some of these gaps. The Saving Devon’s Treescapes project pledged to plant 250,000 replacement trees, targeting places ‘outside woodlands’, filling the spaces left by lost ash trees in our hedgerows, parks and gardens.

Five years on, and as the project enters its last months, Wild Devon caught up with the staff and volunteers who have been Saving Devon’s Treescapes. Here are their stories.

I only discovered the Saving Devon’s Treescapes project in 2024. I had relocated from Cumbria with my family to take on its leadership after the previous manager Rosie had departed, first on maternity leave, and then to start a new role elsewhere.

On my arrival it was clear that the project was well into its stride and achieving good things. Everyone I met in those first weeks shared a common characteristic: enthusiasm. It was obvious that Saving Devon’s Treescapes and the battle to replace trees lost to ash dieback had captured the interest of thousands of people.

The project planted its first trees at Westpoint, close to Exeter, in the early winter of 2020. Back then Saving Devon’s Treescapes, which was to be led by DWT on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum, had big ambitions but limited means. So, news that support had arrived in the shape of The National Lottery Heritage Fund was very welcome.

With this vital resource behind it the scale and ambition of the project could increase. Our goal grew to plant a quarter of a million trees across Devon. We also pledged to only plant local native tree species, using hazel, rowan, oak and blackthorn among others to fill the spaces left by ash.

Now with months to go before the project ends our grand total of trees planted stands at 228,000. With just another 22,000 trees left to go and lots of planting events scheduled this winter, I’m sure we’ll reach our target.

This is a source of great pride for me and the team. But what also makes us proud is how Saving Devon’s Treescapes has gone about its business. Many of the trees we have planted have been grown in our two specially established community tree nurseries. The first of these was set up at DWT’s Meeth Quarry nature reserve, near Hatherleigh, while a second at National Trust land in Broadclyst soon followed.

Volunteers have been the driving force at both nurseries. It’s they who have gathered wild seeds, sorted them, planted them and tended them. It takes two years for a seed to become a sapling, and our volunteers have been there all the way. It’s been wonderful to witness these ready-to-be-planted saplings being distributed for free to local landowners and the wider community at our regular Tree Hub events.

Out of the despondency of ash dieback has come good news. Saving Devon’s Treescapes has shown what’s possible when people pull together for nature’s recovery.

Before volunteering at the project’s Broadclyst tree nursery, I had little experience in the nature sector and had never planted a tree in my life. Now I intend to make it my career!

At the nursery, I’ve seen trees go from seed to sapling and have helped them throughout. The nursery has provided the opportunity for me to learn new skills, both from other volunteers and DWT staff. I’ve met like-minded people, spent time outdoors, and cemented my career ambitions: namely, to work at a tree nursery in aid of replenishing our natural world with native tree species.

I have found that I truly enjoy every part of the process. Now I’m excited to continue sowing, processing, and planting to aid nature’s recovery!

“Wow, you must love your job!” is the response I receive most often when I explain what I do for a living.

I certainly feel very lucky to have been part of Saving Devon’s Treescapes. The project has a wonderful seasonal rhythm to it. As spring begins to warm the soil, the focus is on our two community tree nurseries. This is when our seeds pop up to reveal their tiny first sets of leaves and start their journey from polytunnels into the open air where they then stay for the next couple of years.

Both of our nurseries have developed into thriving growing spaces. Raising young trees from locally collected seeds is vital if we’re to increase the survival of our treescapes against a backdrop of mounting challenges. Local trees are adapted to our climate and soils. Using locally collected seeds ensures we get a more resilient stock of mature trees which should provide for people and wildlife for decades to come.

In summer we turn our attention to public engagement, doing dozen of events and finding ways to use art to explore the consequences of ash dieback and helping people discover our wonderful woodlands.

But as the weeks creep by and autumn arrives, I find myself looking out for ripening tree fruits and nuts, and eventually as leaves start to change colour we prepare for the seed collecting season. Each year I wonder if we will collect enough seeds to supply our nurseries, but then a wonderful thing seems to happen as people come forward and volunteer to help find and gather what we need.

Then winter is upon us and it’s time to plant out the saplings our nurseries have produced. My thermals and wellies come out of storage, my hands get rough and my nose turns red from the cold. Landowners make cups of tea and soup, while volunteers sign up for days planting saplings into Devon’s cold and frosty earth. It’s the culmination of my busy year.

Saving Devon’s Treescapes is a project of people as much as trees. I have loved being a part of it.

Citizen science has been an integral component of the Saving Devon’s Treescapes project. We’ve worked with hundreds of members of the public to record and monitor some of the key species which depend on trees for their survival.

Our annual bat survey has run each summer during the five years of the project. The public has helped us complete 1,350 surveys, putting out our detection equipment in their gardens for three consecutive nights, and then sending us the results. In total these have produced nearly 2 million records of bat flights in Devon!

Trees are vital to bats. Many bats roost in old trees, others navigate along hedge lines and woodlands, while some hunt from perches in trees. The data gathered from our surveys are beginning to show us how these bats are faring at a time when our treescapes are changing with the loss of ash. It will also help us target future tree conservation effort to where it’s most needed.

Lichens are another part of nature that are strongly associated with trees. The project trained volunteers to look out for lichens, recording what they found. Learning to use a hand lens to see each lichen’s minute and beautiful features proved popular. 615 people joined us on beginners’ workshops, while many went on to do ‘lichen improver’ events. We now have a dedicated group of lichen enthusiasts who are recording what they find.

During the lifetime of the project we’ve also worked with volunteers to record brown-hairstreak butterflies, to send us their favourite ‘notable’ trees and to work alongside existing initiatives such as the Devon Mammal Group’s Harvest Mouse Project. The skills people have gained in these acts of citizen science will help shape conservation action long beyond the end of the project. This will be one of Saving Devon’s Treescapes' greatest legacies.

Saving Devon’s Treescapes is led by Devon Wildlife Trust, but a partnership of organisations has helped make it a success:

• The Farming and Wildlife Group (FWAG South West) deliver advice to individual farms on hedgerow and tree planting, contributing to our overall targets.

• The Woodland Trust (along with a financial commitment) donate additional trees to the project to supplement what we grow in our nurseries.

• The following partners also provide their expertise and help fund the project: East Devon District Council, East Devon National Landscape, Devon Biodiversity Records Centre, Torbay Council, South Devon National Landscape, Blackdown Hills National Landscape, Devon County Council. A special thanks also to Rob Wolton of Devon Hedge Group who volunteers his time to support the partnership.

• Our corporate partner is Otter Brewery - find out more. 

Saving Devon’s Treescapes is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, One Tree Planted, Devon County Council and the Halpin Trust.

Learn more about the Saving Devon's Treescapes project