Citizen Foresters: for better health, wellbeing and greenspaces

Through the Citizen Forester programme from City of Trees, volunteers can get hands-on with woodland activities such as tree planting, maintenance and education. It’s all about improving local greenspaces across Greater Manchester and boosting community wellbeing.

Working together, all year round

The Citizen Forester programme runs all year, with the activities changing depending on the season. During each planting season (October-March), City of Trees works with community volunteers to plant sapling trees and maintain existing woodlands during public environmental volunteering days. During the 2023/24 planting season 1,018 volunteers were engaged in Citizen Forester activities, contributing a total of 3,500 hours of environmental conservation work.

A Citizen Forester planting trees. Credit: City of Trees

The benefits of community action

Anyone can become a Citizen Forester, regardless of experience or background, making environmental volunteering accessible and inclusive. People’s motivations for getting involved vary, from wanting to get close to nature to wanting to take action on the climate and biodiversity crises.

Citizen Foresters benefit from engaging with environmental work. This can include health and wellbeing benefits of physical movement, social interaction of getting involved in community events and even learning new skills. Volunteers have also reported a greater sense of self and greater confidence in their own ability to enact positive change.

Using the City of Trees ‘Green Ways to Wellbeing’ tool, 89% of participants reported improved mood after activities, and others maintained a positive state. While this reflects a short-term benefit on mood, there is also lots of evidence that shows frequent access to the natural world improves wellbeing in the long term.

The Citizen Forester programme also strengthens community pride and cohesion. Public involvement in woodland management and creation creates both social and environmental benefits within a local area and unites diverse communities in collective action.

Building a greener future together

Citizen Forester highlights how engaging communities in environmental conservation leads to thriving urban ecosystems. When people are empowered to take action, they leave a legacy of vibrant greenspaces and healthier communities for future generations.

Be part of the Northern Forest

Want to plant trees? Whether you’re creating new woodland or extending an existing site, you can reap a whole host of extra benefits.

• Boost biodiversity.
• Provide shelter.
• Protect your soil.
• Fight flooding.

Your new trees could be part of the Northern Forest and make a difference for people, wildlife and the environment in the North of England.