Tree Wardens Reports
The Tree Wardens Report for October 5th, 2026 See here for a version with images
Portsmouth & Southsea Tree Wardens report October 2026
Tree wardens are still watering tree despite having a couple of heavy downpours. A resident water reported that we have lost an oak tree outside the tax office in Cosham due to strimmer damage. I am following this up with Simon Pearce.
We had a Green Forum meeting on September 15th at Cornwallis crescent Community Orchard. Which is now 10 years old. This was organised by Rachel Bryan and hosted by Trish and Dennis from the Tree Wardens and Charles Dickens Community Orchards.
Pictures from Foxes Forest and Hilsea lines orchard – several lovely looking walnut trees were there. What’s this tree next to the orchard?
We will be joining other local Tree Officers from the different authorities and working with Forest Research for a sharing day.
I am planning the AGM for the end of October and working on avenue to hold this meeting.
Tree Wardens ring fenced account balance is £1408.63. I will need to be paying our insurances out of this by the end of October so we are all up to date. There is a small amount of money trickling in from the Portsmouth lottery.
Trees in the trays we purchased
We are still awaiting to hear if we have the £10,000 grant.
We have rejoined the Conservation volunteers. Both for Charles Dickens Community Orchards and the Portsmouth & Southsea Tree Wardens which was free.
The Tree Wardens received a really good banner from the Tree Council explaining that we are part of the National Tree Warden Network and also part of the Tree Council. They also sent us a very substantial flag and support which would hold up very well in a windy area.
We have also been invited to comment on the local plan by November 4thThere are to be two tree removals in Milton Park bowls area. These trees will have a notice put on them saying they are to be felled for large limb loss and decaying trunk due to fungal growth infections causing damage to the structure making them unsafe.
During September National Tree Week was celebrated by the Tree Council with webinairs for those who wished to be involved. A seed gathering master class with Jon Stokes, community tree nurseries and the diary of a seed gatherer.
The Tree Council is inviting people to take part in their autumn survey to be completed by 21st November.
The Tree Councils National Highways trees grant programme is now open.
Portsmouth city council have asked us to be involved with the Portsmouth Plan 20 scoping consultation and call for sites. To be completed by 11:59 2nd November.
The Tree Council is also inviting schools to take part in crucial national research.
I have needed to speak with a local councillor about why wildlife areas are meant to be natural and not neat and tidy.
Anyone interested in feeding back please contact me.
Kind regards
Trish Bell
Portsmouth & Southsea Tree Warden Co-ordinator
Chief executive of the Charles Dickens Community Orchard.
Tree Wardens report 6th September 2026
Portsmouth & Southsea Tree Wardens have been run ragged over the summer trying to water vulnerable trees and the lovely standard trees successfully.
We have had to purchase /x 1,000 litre tanks to store the water for them and also deep trays so it keeps the water beneath the trees for them to drink up during this exceptionally hot weather.
The hot weather has made the trees harvest a month earlier. Fruit trees are dropping their apples. It’s amazing to see the difference between parched Portsmouth and the lush Devonshire countryside where they have had more rain.
We are looking for a home for 20 metres of fruiting hedge and St Jude’s nursery has approached us to provide an orchard. So has St Luke’s Church.
Is great to help thes two organisations in the heart of Portsmouth.
We will be working on our plans to home these trees.
Below are some images to accompany the report for September
Tree Wardens report 13th July 2026
Please click on the links in blue to be taken to various articles online.
South East Regional Tree Wardens Forum – at Sheffield Park and Botanical Garden owned and operated by the National Trust.
This was on Saturday 11th July all Day. We spent the day underneath the cool breezy canopy of the very unusual Nyssa trees. To find out more about our veteran and ancient trees.
What would be the right tree in the right place and aspects to think about when planting.
How compaction of the soil on the roots is threatening the survival of ancient trees and how fencing them off can help with the introduction of worms helps the soil. It was interesting to hear there are 3 types of worms!
We had a lovely walk around visiting the large collection of Nyssa trees. Plus their famous Montezumae pine which is very large and shaped like and upside down bowl. It has needles 5 to 6 inches long.
We viewed the cuckoo sweet chestnut trees which had been struck by lightning and then had a new tree of a different variety growing out of it. The new trees who had made their home of the stricken trees were: Silver birch and pine. Right next to each other.
This goes to show support with watering and mulching is very important for our trees in Portsmouth. They are great in this hot weather for standing under and cooling down.
Tree Wardens have been working alongside Charles Dickens Community Orchards bulk watering the trees in Winston Churchill Avenue. The fruiting hedge the Portsmouth Society planted is thriving and Charles Burns Oak Tree is thriving too. See below.
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Tree Warden Report for May 2026
Another version of the table in the above section- You may need to zoom in.
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