Future Woodlands Scotland

Future Woodlands Scotland We are a charity working in Scotland to protect, create and restore Scotland’s woodlands.

This isn’t just another conference where you sit and listen to powerpoints all day… This is where real change for Scotla...
10/06/2026

This isn’t just another conference where you sit and listen to powerpoints all day…

This is where real change for Scotland's urban spaces actually begins.🏢

If you’re working in planning, design, the built environment, or forestry, you already know what's at stake.

Scotland’s towns and cities have some of the lowest tree canopy covers in Europe. Integrating nature into our developments isn't just aethestically nice, it’s a climate and biodiversity necessity.

On Wednesday 17 June, we’re bringing together the ultimate mix of changemakers for Scotland’s flagship event on trees and urban planning, co-organised with the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and the Trees, Design Action Group (TDAG).

Trees are one of our biggest tools to fight the climate crisis, protect wildlife, and boost our own wellbeing. But we can't do it in silos, we need to collaborate, and Trees & Development Scotland conference is will spark just that.

Whether you're coming solo or bringing your team, we need your voice in the room.

Ticket bookings close on Sunday 14 June! https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-and-development-2026

Big news!👇With Trees & Development 2026 just days away, we are incredibly excited to announce our headline sponsor: Barr...
08/06/2026

Big news!👇

With Trees & Development 2026 just days away, we are incredibly excited to announce our headline sponsor: Barratt Redrow!

We know that some of the biggest solutions to the climate and nature crisis start right where we live. Scotland’s urban spaces currently have some of the lowest tree canopy cover in Europe, but it doesn't have to stay that way.

By partnering with Barratt Redrow, we’re bringing together the people who build our communities with the people who protect our nature to create greener, healthier, and more resilient towns and cities.

Alison Condie, Regional Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland, said:
“At Barratt and David Wilson Homes, we believe great places to live start with nature. We’re proud to support this important conference, helping to shape how housing in Scotland can be designed with greener, healthier communities at its heart.”

An event with the power to completely transform our urban spaces doesn't happen on its own. A massive thank you to Barratt Redrow and all of our incredible sponsors for bringing this conference back to life after three years.

Want to be part of the change? 🤝

There are still a few tickets left to join the conversation, connect with key changemakers, and help us drive real, nature-rich transformation in Scotland: https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-and-development-2026

05/06/2026

Ever wondered what community-led climate action actually looks like in practice? 👇

Take a look behind the scenes of Edible Estates, one of our incredible Urban Forestry Challenge Fund partners.

They are currently transforming two housing estates in Edinburgh by planting new woodlands and community orchards. 🌲

This isn't just about making spaces look pretty, it’s about Tree Equity. Sadly, Scotland's urban areas have some of the lowest canopy cover in Europe, and it's often underserved communities that miss out on the mental health, cooling, and wildlife benefits of nature. This project is helping change that, converting grey concrete into thriving green spaces.

Their Impact:
🌱 15% of all local households (plus the local school!) are getting hands-on with the planting and long-term care of these trees.
🌱 Smart planting: Every tree is chosen using a "right tree, right place" approach, backed by expert arboriculturists so they can withstand climate change.
🌱 A blueprint for the future of Edinburgh: This is a replicable model that we hope to scale across Edinburgh.

The trees planted earlier this year are taking the time in summer to build deep roots to help them thrive for years to come. We can’t wait to watch this community grow alongside them. 💚

More information on this project can be found here: https://futurewoodlands.org.uk/projects/bringing-orchards-and-woodlands-to-edinburghs-council-estates/

Got a green project that deserves £1,000?🌳 Time is ticking!Scotland’s urban trees are doing a lot of heavy lifting; clea...
28/05/2026

Got a green project that deserves £1,000?🌳 Time is ticking!

Scotland’s urban trees are doing a lot of heavy lifting; cleaning our air, cooling our streets, and boosting our mental health. But our towns and cities still have some of the lowest tree numbers in Europe.

If you or your community group are working hard to change that, we want to recognise. It is thanks to your work that the future of Scotlands urban areas will be more green.

We’re proud to sponsor the Urban Forestry Award at this year’s Scotland’s Finest Woodlands Awards. We are looking for local projects making a real difference in their urban green spaces.

So, do you have a project that could be eligible to win the Urban Forestry Award, and the £1000 that comes with that?!

The deadline is 31st May, so if you think your project could be in with a chance to win, submit your nomination before Sunday! 🏆

Whether it’s a community orchard, a street-greening initiative, or an urban woodland restoration, your project deserves to be recognised and supported.

🚨 The final deadline is this Sunday, May 31st for your nomination. It only takes a few minutes: https://www.sfwa.co.uk/award-categories/urban-forestry

Are you spending more time outside now that the sun is finally making an appearance? ☀️If you’ve been out in your local ...
27/05/2026

Are you spending more time outside now that the sun is finally making an appearance? ☀️

If you’ve been out in your local park lately, you’ve probably noticed it’s much busier. From dog walkers and picnics to everyone escaping their desks for a lunchtime break, our green spaces are working overtime right now.

But those trees do so much more than just look pretty:
They clean our air, cool down our streets, and give us a vital escape from the concrete jungle. 🌿

Sadly, Scotland’s woodlands and urban green spaces are under massive pressure from climate change, pests, and a shortage of skilled people to look after them.

That’s where we come in, and where you can make a massive difference. When you donate to Future Woodlands Scotland, you aren't just planting a tree. You're helping to:

🌳 Create more green spaces in our towns and cities
🌳 Grow future foresters by supporting people to access essential training in sustainable forestry skills.
🌳 Restore our ‘ghost’ woodlands - bringing life back to Scotland’s precious ancient forests.

If you love your local green spaces and want to help protect them for the future, consider chipping in the price of a coffee today.

Every little bit helps us protect, create, and restore.

If you enjoy the green spaces near you and want to support efforts to maintain, restore and create more, you donate whatever you can here: https://futurewoodlands.org.uk/donate/ 💚

"Business as usual" isn't working for Scotland’s cities.🏙️Did you know we have some of the lowest urban tree cover in Eu...
21/05/2026

"Business as usual" isn't working for Scotland’s cities.🏙️

Did you know we have some of the lowest urban tree cover in Europe? This isn't just about aesthetics; fewer trees mean hotter summers, worse flooding, and less green space for our mental health and communities to thrive.

The good news is, we're bringing together experts and indutrsy professional together to collaborate in one room at this years' Trees and Development 2026 event on 17th of June.

The day centres on collaboration, with a live design challenge to test nature-based solutions in real time.🤝

This builds on the 2023 event, which showed the value of working across disciplines and focusing on practical outcomes.

A big thank you to our partners and supporters helping bring this year’s event to life:

Arboricultural Association
CIAT Scotland East
CIAT Scotland West
Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management - CIEEM
Heads of Planning Scotland
Institute of Highway Engineers
Royal Town Planning Institute
Scottish Tree Officers Group
Society of Garden Designers
Society for the Environment

We can't restore Scotland's woodlands without collaboration, will we see you there?

Book your tickets here: https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-and-development-2026

17/05/2026

🗺️We plan for roads.
💧We plan for drainage.
⚡We plan for power.

🌳So why do trees still get squeezed in at the end?

Trees and Development 2026 is a one-day event bringing together people across planning, engineering and design to change how this happens in practice.

Built around collaboration, this interactive day includes a live design challenge exploring:

🌳 Biodiversity as part of the build
🌳 Using trees to manage flood risk and urban climate
🌳 Creating places that support both people and nature

There's just one month to go.

If you haven’t yet, follow the link below to sign up

📍Stirling
📅17th June 2026

Have you entered your community project yet?👇Time is running out to enter this year's SCOTLAND'S FINEST WOODS Awards!Thi...
15/05/2026

Have you entered your community project yet?👇

Time is running out to enter this year's SCOTLAND'S FINEST WOODS Awards!

This awards ceremony exists to recognise the incredible progress people are making to increase access to woodlands and help with climate adaptation, biodiversity and health and wellbeing.🌳

And we're proud to sponsor the Urban Forestry Award.

In Scotland, more than 80% of the population lives in urban areas, yet many neighbourhoods lack the tree cover that is so important in providing the benefits that make our towns and cities healthy and enjoyable places to live and work.

Projects like yours are making a difference, and could be in with a chance to win £1,000 in the Urban Forestry category of these awards! 🏆

Just remember to enter before the deadline on 31st May!

Swipe for more information.
📷 Maxwell Park Community Centre
📷 Conservation Volunteers
📷 Climate Forest

Find full details and how to enter, follow the link in the comments.

Scotland’s urban future belongs to nature. 🌿We all know that trees are vital for life - they cool our streets, clean our...
08/05/2026

Scotland’s urban future belongs to nature. 🌿

We all know that trees are vital for life - they cool our streets, clean our air, and boost our mental health.
But for a long time, our cities haven't been built with nature in mind.

It’s time to change that.

The Trees and Development 2026 Conference is happening in Stirling on 17 June, and we want you in the room. This isn't just another sit-and-listen event, it’s a hands-on collaboration between the people who design our world and the people who protect it.

Why this matters:
🌳Bridge the gap: We’re moving beyond policy and getting into the "how" of on-site delivery.
🌳Live design challenge: No boring slide decks here. We’re solving real-world urban problems in real-time.
🌳Cross-sector vibes: Connect with planners, engineers, and arboriculturists who are actually building the resilient Scotland we want to see.

Chaired by Karen Anderson FRSE (President of the RIAS), this is a unique event for shared learning and cross-sector collaboration. From early-stage masterplanning to the reality of on-site delivery, we’re exploring how to build healthier, cooler, and more resilient places.

📍 Where: Stirling
📅 When: 17 June 2026
🎟️ Get your tickets: https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-and-development-2026

Introducing a few of our key speakers for Tree and Development 2026!Our urban spaces should be more than just concrete. ...
29/04/2026

Introducing a few of our key speakers for Tree and Development 2026!

Our urban spaces should be more than just concrete. We know that trees are essential infrastructure: they’re our best defense against climate change, they boost our mental health, and they make our communities thrive. But we can’t protect Scotland’s woodlands alone.

Collaboration is the key to progress. 🤝

On 17 June 2026, we’re bringing together some of the brightest minds in planning, design, and the built environment to bridge the gap between nature and development.

Click through to meet a few of our keynote speakers for ! 👏

These experts are joining us from the worlds of arboriculture, landscape architecture, and urban design to share real-world insights on building a greener, more resilient Scotland.

Expect thought‑provoking talks, real‑world examples and a collaborative design challenge - all focused on creating more nature‑rich towns and cities. 🌳

A huge thank you to our speakers and the wide range of experts joining us.

Whether you’re a young professional in the sector or just passionate about urban nature, this is your space to connect and create impact.

Book your tickets here: https://charteredforesters.org/event/trees-and-development-2026

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