The State of the UK's Oaks webinar, Tues 17 March, 2-3pm
Introducing panelist Tony Kirkham MBE, VMH, FArborA, FICFor (Hon). Chair of Action Oak's Knowledge into Action sub-committee. Tony was the Head of the Arboretum, Gardens & Horticultural Services, at RBG Kew for 43 years.
www.actionoak.org/news
It's “Love Your Yew Week”, 9th - 15th Feb.
A few of us met with Shaun and Sue from Littleham Church to see their lovely yews.
The oldest is probably the one quite close to the SE corner of the church - our Tree of the Month for February.
It's 4.62m girth at 1.5m and could easily be 300 years old*
Tuesday 3rd February 2026: Cliff will be doing a short talk / Q&A about the founding of the German Green Party.
NB. Due to the way the Green Drinks International website is now managed, we can no longer edit our own web page. Please check BlueSky for updates and www.transitionexmouth.org/events
For #ThickTrunkTuesday - the largest recorded Lucombe Oak in the UK. Re-measured this week: 8.63m girth at 1.5m.
Planted c. 1798, Phear Park, Exmouth.
Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana', AKA Quercus × crenata 'Lucombeana' or 'William Lucombe'. More info: www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/que...
Edited 05/01/2026
Happy New Year, but...
How wonderfully embarrassing and exciting at the same time. We have heard from a leading conifer expert, who says this is actually a baby Coast Redwood - watch this space for more unravelling 😄
Tree of the Month for December 2025: Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum).
The Swamp Cypress is native to the Southeastern United States. Our little swamp cypress is located in Phear Park, just before the dog paddock, on the right as you are heading up the service road to the cafe.
More info on FB ↘️
Tree of the Month for November 2025 - the “hungry” lime on Foxholes Hill*. And, as it’s a bit late, a word of the year “edaphoecotropism”. This is when a tree grows around or engulfs a foreign object - such as this old iron railing.
*Probably Common Lime (Tilia x europaea).
#edaphoecotropism
@thetreecouncil.bsky.social
A date for your diaries, for National Tree Week 2025: this coming Sunday 23rd November 2025, from 1:00pm 💚🍂🌳🍁🌲🧡 Another "Tree Walk & Talk" around Phear Park, meet at Bumble & Tee Cafe.
Useful to RSVP here to give an idea of numbers, but you can also just turn up on the day #NationalTreeWeek
Tree of the Month for October 2025: the Himalayan strawberry-tree (Cornus capitata) in the triangle planting between the subway ramp and The Strand pub (location link in comments). Look out for its creamy white, four-petalled flowers around June / July.
Thanks to PP for the tip-off and GB for the ID
Please sign the latest petition from The Woodland Trust 🌳💚 petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...
to, "Review protections for important trees: amend Forestry Act & list heritage trees".
Let's put Exmouth & ... on the map - only 12 signature so far: petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com?petition=732...
Belated Tree of the Month for July:
Is it a Hop?
Is it a Hornbeam?
No, it’s a Hop Hornbeam!
Botanical name Ostrya carpinifolia, a cousin of hornbeams, but not related to the hop - its fruits just look a bit hoppy. This young tree is near the Deaf Academy exit, but you can see it from the pavement.
Oak bush cricket? On an oak in Phear Park, Exmouth 💚🦗🌳
From the tree owners "Calling All Tree Huggers! We are holding a DEMONSTRATION to Save St Johns Road Oak Tree.
11 am Wednesday 16th July 2025 in the shade under the mighty canopy, 115 St Johns Road, Exmouth, EX8 4EH. More info here: www.facebook.com/events/11721... and EDDC planning app' 25/1037/TRE
... www.facebook.com/share/p/1Eqd...
A quick Tree of the Month for May 2025*
We think this is a Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos 'Sunburst'?). Just inside the Methodist Church grounds on Withycombe Village Rd (next to Corner House Vets).
Fantastic colour against any sky. Check out the bipinnate leaves / leaflets 💛
*See Facebook 💚
Tree of the Month for April 2025: another stonking veteran oak right on our doorstep. This one is just over 5 metres in girth (~16.5 ft) and is on the St Malo Close play area - what was once part of the old Bystock Court estate.
The ATF is taking part in the Big Give’s #GreenMatchFund to raise £20,000 in just 1 week. We’re aiming to raise £10,000 from individual donations. These funds will help sustain the ATF to safeguard ancient and other veteran trees.
Please donate if you like what we do. tinyurl.com/yznn5x5e
Tree of the Month for March 2025: spotted this tree on Google so went to have a look. A beautiful twin-stemmed oak on a green space next to Cedar Close in Brixington 💚🌳 Looks like it was once on an old field boundary - so could be hundreds of years old (see cross-hairs on the ATI historical map).
New Tiny Forest to be planted in Exmouth Exmouth Tiny Forest is excited to announce that they will be planting a new Tiny Forest in Brixington Park in January. This follows the success of their first site in the King George’s Field in Carter Avenue in early 2024, which is already growing well, and has attracted an increasing number of insect species. It has also picked up a lot of press interest and an environmental award from CPRE, following on from its inclusion in the Exmouth in Bloom entry for Britain in Bloom, which resulted in a Gold award for the town. The site is looked after by a dedicated group of Tree Keepers, who keep the trees watered and weed free, and look out for interesting insect and other visitors. The Brixington site will have its own group of volunteers and the Tiny Forest group are keen to hear from anyone interested in being part of the planting on Friday, 17th January.or the aftercare. On Wednesday, 15th, a load of compost will also be delivered to be spread on the ground so contact them if you would like to help. The Tiny Forest movement started in Japan, and has since spread around the world. It uses a space the size of a tennis court, which is densely planted with about 600 native trees and shrubs, which grow quickly and can soon support a large amount of biodiversity, much more than conventional tree planting. The group has had support from East Devon District Council staff, working with Parklife and Devon County Council to supply a small area of a park, compost, trees and mulch. Local schools are involved in the planting day and encouraged to continue to use the site as an ongoing educational resource. A spokesperson for the group said: “Our aim is that this tiny forest will be an asset to the whole community, encouraging wildlife and helping to absorb carbon and pollution. We’d love to hear from anyone in the Brixington area who would like to be involved in any way.” If you would like to get involved on the 15th or 17th…
Exmouth Tiny Forest is excited to announce that they will be planting a new Tiny Forest in Brixington Park this week. Planting on Fri 17th Jan. On Wed 15th a load of compost will be delivered to be spread on the ground so do contact them if you would like to help: exmouthtinyforest@gmail.com
Panoramic test in Phear Park
