The Devon Wildlife Trust announced on 18 March 2026 that the Saving Devon’s Treescapes project has reached its goal of planting 250,000 trees across Devon. This milestone helps the environment in Torquay and the surrounding county recover from a tree disease called ash dieback. The project ensures the local landscape remains green and healthy for all residents.
The project began in 2021 to tackle the impact of a fungus that is expected to kill more than 80 per cent of the ash trees in the county. Some of these trees are over 100 years old, and their loss has a major impact on local nature and scenery. To fix this, the scheme focused on planting new trees in spots like school grounds, farms, and gardens.
Volunteers grew many of the young saplings from seeds collected within the county at nurseries located in Broadclyst and Meeth Quarry. The project used native British varieties such as oak, hazel, spindle, and hornbeam. These trees were selected to support local wildlife while keeping the traditional appearance of the Devon landscape.
The project is set to finish at the end of March 2026 as its funding concludes. While the main planting work is done, the initiative has left behind two volunteer-run tree nurseries and new ways for people to monitor local nature. This work was supported by several groups including the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Woodland Trust.
