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Highnam Parish Council
Society

Gloucestershire Trees

Welcome! 

Published: 1 July 2025

low angle photography of green trees

The Trees team will bring you regular content each month, in relation to trees and greenspaces, including how you can get involved.

What you can expect:

  • Project announcements
  • Seasonal reminders on tree care and techniques
  • Spotlights on special trees
  • Suggestions and tips on improving habitat, biodiversity
  • Craft ideas and inspiration
During August you will find us at the Winchcombe Show, Monday 25th August.    Interested in what we do and how you can help us to plant 1million trees by 2030 come and speak to the team.  Use the link below to find out more about the show
Winchcombe Show
Being a tree warden is an exhilarating and impactful role, where you become a guardian of nature within your community. Whether it is planting new trees, monitoring the health of existing specimens, or engaging with your community about the importance of trees, you can be a powerful advocate for trees. As a tree warden, you are not just a volunteer; you are a hero for the environment. Helping to forge strong bonds between the community and the natural world. Your support helps protect existing trees and promotes the creation of new green spaces, ensuring that the benefits of trees are enjoyed for generations to come.
Volunteer Tree Wardens – Gloucestershire
Fruit Thinning.

In favourable conditions fruit trees set more fruit than is ideal. Fruit thinning involves removing excess fruit to improve fruit size and quality. It is carried out on apples, pears, plums, peaches and nectarines.

Many healthy fruit trees drop fruit naturally in early summer in what is known as the ‘June drop’. Where a heavy crop has set, too any fruitlets may remain on the branches, resulting in a final crop of disappointingly small fruits. Deliberate thinning of the fruitlets produces better-sized, ripe and healthy fruits, albeit in smaller numbers.

When to thin fruit

Experienced growers tend to thin in early summer, as this results in the greatest increase in size of those fruits remaining. But for inexperienced gardener, it is best to wait until after the June drop, other than removing malformed fruit. Finish thinning by mid-July.
Fruit thinning,small fruit being removed
Protecting Our Green Heritage: Understanding the vital Role of Biosecurity

In an age where global trade and travel have become the norm, the threat of invasive pests and diseases to our trees and plants has never been greater. Biosecurity, the measures taken to prevent the introduction and spread of harmful organisms, is paramount in safeguarding our green heritage. From majestic woods to backyard gardens, the importance of maintaining biosecurity cannot be overstated.

Our trees and plants play a crucial role in food production, supporting biodiversity and mitigating climate change. However, invasive pests and diseases pose a significant threat to this delicate balance. Tree pest and disease prevalence has increased dramatically with 18 recorded outbreaks since 2002 compared to 5 in the 32 years prior.

 How can you help stop the spread of harmful pests and pathogens?
Wild Cherry tree in a field.
Wild Cherry tree in a field.

Tree Spotlight

Wild Cherry tree (prunus avium)

Prunus avium, commonly known as the wild cherry or sweet cherry, is a species of cherry native to Eurasia. This tree can grow up to 30 meters tall and has a lifespan of around 60 years. It features shiny, reddish-brown bark with prominent cream-colored horizontal lines and produces beautiful blossoms and bright fruits, making it popular among gardeners and wildlife. The wild cherry tree thrives in various soils, except for waterlogged conditions, and is suitable for large gardens or woodland areas.

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