A treescape is any landscape with a tree in it - rural or urban. Trees are an essential part of our social, cultural, economic and environmental ecosystems. Our homes, communities and wildlife are uniquely shaped by trees and their significance continues to become more apparent as we feel the effects of climate change. And yet often decisions about treescapes are made without the involvement of communities living alongside them.
With the government’s commitment to increasing tree coverage in the UK as part of their net zero ambitions, it is more important than ever that the public inform decisions about how and where this increase should take place.
In 2024 Involve ran a public dialogue on the future of UK trees, woodland and forests in the next 50 years.
The project was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and commissioned by The Future of UK Treescapes Ambassador Team.
The outcomes of the dialogue will help inform policy and its implementation, aiming to ensure that competing values and uses are made visible; conditions of support and acceptability are clear; new ideas and insights are surfaced; and the impacts of actions are explored and understood, especially where treescapes may intersect with existing structures of inequality.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Our Future Treescapes public dialogue brought together 48 members of the public from four place-based locations, one in each of the four nations. The members were selected using a civic lottery and broadly reflected the whole of the UK.
Our four place-based locations were: The Tweed Valley, Belfast, Manchester and Bannau Brycheiniog.
We asked them to discuss this question:
What is your vision for the future of trees, woodland and forest in the UK in the next 50 years? How can we make sure having more trees meets the needs of individuals, society and the natural world?
Members spent four months coming together, listening to speakers from all walks of life, spending time with the trees around them and drawing on their own knowledge and experiences to explore how we can care for and expand treescapes – both in their local areas and across the UK.
Because, just like trees, every community is unique, it was important to take a place-based approach to the dialogue. The recommendations needed to grow from the ground up, shaped by the local needs, values, and stories of the people who live there. From these local conversations came principles and actions rooted in place, ideas that are now being shared with local decision makers.
When each location came together online, they brought their place-based insights with them – building a shared vision for the UK. Together, they crafted a set of shared priorities that connect communities across the country, creating a future for treescapes that’s grounded in both local and national perspectives.
See below for our infographic of the process. 👇
NATIONAL VISION STATEMENT
The UK should commit now to a future where accessible, diverse and unique treescapes are integrated into the everyday lives of both urban and rural communities. By ensuring that the right balance of trees are planted in the right places, we will support not only environmental, commercial and economic sustainability, but also the wellbeing and health of individuals. Strong and accountable leadership, inclusive planning and community engagement will empower local people to shape and maintain local treescapes, ensuring long-term resilience and local benefits. And with education for future guardianship, we will foster a deeper connection to nature, supporting treescapes that serve ecological needs for generations to come.
SHARED PRIORITIES ACROSS THE UK
Increasing education and awareness for all ages
Making the right decisions about what to plant where
Taking collective responsibility for our treescapes
Supporting good decision making that is informed by local views
Recognising our connection to nature
Ensuring equitable and accessible treescapes
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Our Future Treescapes doesn’t stop here. We are committed to supporting all those involved with the public dialogue to continue to engage with the process and take forward the recommendations.
Involve & the UK Treescapes Ambassador team are working on the following activities for 2025:
- Supporting dialogue members to get involved with tree projects in their local area
- Supporting local Steering Groups sharing the place-based recommendations with local decision makers
- Working with the national Advisory Group to land the findings with influential actors and partners across the four nations
- Hosting an event in autumn 2025 to promote findings with national policy & decision makers
- Producing a video about the Future of UK Treescapes programme that captures part
of the Manchester dialogue
MORE INFORMATION
Click on the links below to see the Our Future Treescapes reports.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
If you would like to support the work of the public dialogue, please get in touch with: [email protected]
To find out more about the other research projects taking place as part of the Future of UK Treescapes Research programme, please visit the UK Treescapes website.
For more information on how to plan high quality public engagement, please get in touch with: [email protected]