South Norfolk Tree Warden Network

The Tree Warden Scheme was launched nationally by the Tree Council in 1990 and taken up by South Norfolk Council the following year. The Council gave the services of their landscape planning officer to manage the scheme, organise training and oversee the ordering and planting of native trees. In 2015, because of financial cut-backs and subsequent reorganisation the council decided they had to reassess their involvement with the scheme. Following discussions with council officers, a steering group of existing tree wardens was assembled and together they worked on how to set up an independent Tree Warden Network.
In January 2016, with input and advice from The Tree Council, as well as officers of South Norfolk Council, the first general meeting of the new South Norfolk Tree Warden Network was held, with a constitution adopted and officers voted on to an Executive Committee, which is now responsible for managing, training and the ordering of trees for planting under the scheme. There are now some 80 Tree Wardens appointed to parishes across South Norfolk.
The Network is grateful to Bussey’s of Norwich, who have made a generous grant for tree planting from their in house ‘plant a tree scheme’- whereby every customer makes a donation when purchasing a car from them.
We are also very grateful to the Communities Team of South Norfolk Council for their expert and enthusiastic support and assistance in getting the Network going.
This September 2016, with The Tree Council, we will be organising a celebratory event which will be attended by Tree Wardens from across East Anglia, to mark 25 years of the Tree Warden Scheme in South Norfolk.