Engaging with communities to support local tree planting and deliver change

The importance of ‘community engagement’ is a big topic for many trying to deliver development projects or tree planting on public land. There is often an implication that the community will be ‘engaged with’ as and when it is necessary. However, there is another side to local groups which want to engage in their own right to plant trees in their own communities but often do not have access to, or the funds to access, the level of professional advice and guidance that will enable successful outcomes to reflect their aims which, when all works well, are demonstrated by the ‘arboretum town’ status that some community groups are achieving. So, we have the classic 'top down or bottom up’ situation. Given the increasing community interest in trees and the need to capture and encourage this enthusiasm, what guidance do local communities need? This session will explore these challenges.