Sustainable Warwickshire

Warwickshire County Council has been awarded funding from Defra’s Coronation Heritage Living Fund (CLHF) for the creation of Community Orchards and Community Micro Woods across the county, to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. The aim of the funding is to enable more trees to be planted in non-woodland locations and close to where people live, providing a visible and lasting tribute to the coronation within local communities. 

Fruitful Pursuits’ Community Orchards (CLHF) funded project

There has been a significant decline in traditional orchards since the 1950’s with an over 73% loss in land used for orchards. New community orchards will help restore this loss and make the most of valuable underused green spaces for the benefit of local communities: 

• Community orchards are excellent places for people to come together to plant a variety of fruit trees and to use the area for community activities.  
• They increase pollinator numbers and are a great opportunity for schools and the communities to learn about wildlife, planting, and maintenance of trees.  
• They give healthy food to people, as well as supporting wildlife and improving the land in a natural way.   

 We are accepting applications for the 2024/25 planting season, in which applications are open until end of July 2024 and planting must be completed by end of March 2025. For enquiries and to complete the online form please email naturalcapital@warwickshire.gov.uk with the subject title as ‘Community Orchard Project’. 

Community Micro Woods (CLHF) funded project

The creation of micro woods, using a planting method pioneered by Japanese botanist Dr Akira Miyawaki, creates miniature woodlands in urban areas. These micro woods create a more naturalistic growth to a local area, and by planting mixed native species at close densities in small patches, we see higher survival rates. They also require minimal maintenance after two to three years and have lower vulnerability to vandalism. Planting these micro woods will help to increase tree canopy coverage in much needed areas and contribute to a lasting heritage.  

We are excited to receive applications from communities interested in creating their own local micro woodland. Please email the Natural Capital team with details of your potential site. 

To get in touch with the Natural Capital team with any queries regarding these projects or other tree planting initiatives please email naturalcapital@warwickshire.gov.uk and include ‘Tree Planting’ in the subject.