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Exploring Eden
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Exploring Eden
A group of volunteers assembled around wooden table at the Penrith Community Tree Nursery, removing seeds from locally sourced berries and native species.

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Eden community tree nursery: Good things come in trees

Part of project: Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges

Thanks to National Lottery Players and Eden District Council, in October 2022 Eden Rivers Trust took control of a plot of land on an allotment in Penrith. The dream? To create a community tree nursery that would open a doorway to conservation; a place accessible to all, where local people, volunteers and community groups could learn about trees and the river and work together; growing and nurturing locally-sourced seeds.

The resulting native saplings will be planted on river conservation sites throughout the Eden catchment; creating food and homes for wildlife; helping manage the flow of water over land and storing carbon.

Lead partner: Eden Rivers Trust

Challenge

To establish an accessible community tree nursery in the heart of Penrith that will open a doorway to the world of conservation for local people.
A place where people can:

  • spend quality time in the great outdoors, develop their ‘green fingers’ and learn about trees, rivers, conservation, flood and drought management,

  • feel empowered to tackle the climate crisis by providing tangible opportunities at a local scale – helping to improve biodiversity, reduce carbon, mitigate flooding and enhance biodiversity.

Over time, the fruits (well trees!) of their labour will be used to enhance habitat throughout the Eden catchment with native tree species that host native wildlife and connect up habitats.

Approach

As a new venture for ERT, we will learn along with the volunteers, community groups and other partners who are embarking on this adventure with us.

We are working with local people and community groups from the outset in consultation about how they want the tree nursery to look, in design and construction and how it will be managed.

So far ...

  • Volunteers have cleared and prepared the tree nursery site.
     

  • A shed extension has been built to give more shelter/a place to put things.
     

  • Easy-Pave path laid through the site so that wheelchair users can access the tree nursery.
     

  • Hundreds of work party sessions have now been held at the tree nursery, welcoming local people who experience barriers to getting out into nature.
     

  • Multiple training sessions have been held

Spring 2025 update

The Eden Community Tree Nursery is as much about the people who come and help us and the space they’ve made as it is about the trees. Regular plotters (their re-naming) have made close friendships, set up their own WhatsApp group, introduced their mates and support each other outside their involvement with ERT. The sessions are described as ‘me time’, ‘somewhere where I can forget the hassle’, ‘time to re-connect’ and ‘a place where everyone is important’.

After their corporate session last year, Highlights Northwest were inspired to schedule quarterly visits through 2025 – ‘I think it can help me think differently – away from the computer, the spreadsheets, the emails. And it’s lovely to be able to give something back to our local area too.’

Local people are including a visit as part of a lunchtime walk and bring us baby trees they have grown, or sometimes biscuits they have made. One regular visitor comes ‘to be among friends, breathe clean air and share the spring’.

The trees have been equally successful. Seeds prepped and planted have started to sprout a forest of 250 rowan tree seedlings. Working with the seeds and caring for them as they grow has brought our volunteers a wider understanding of both trees and environment and a desire to keep learning more.

Good things come in trees

In October 2022 Eden Rivers Trust took control of a plot of land on an allotment in Penrith. The dream? To create an accessible community tree nursery that would open a doorway to conservation. We've been keeping a blog to share the highlights.

Good things come in trees

In October 2022 Eden Rivers Trust took control of a plot of land on an allotment in Penrith. The dream? To create an accessible community tree nursery that would open a doorway to conservation. We've been keeping a blog to share the highlights.

This is our story...
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Volunteers at the Penrith community tree nursery sat on wooden benches in sunshine. Enjoying a break and enjoying a cup of tea.

Image gallery

  • A volunteer moving a large coil of plastic water pipe into position, ready to be laid out in a trench dug around the border of the Penrith community tree nursery.
  • Close up image of succulent plants forming part of a rooftop garden at the Penrith community tree nursery.
  • Tree saplings in green leaf sat in individual black planting pots atop wooden palettes.
  • A wooden scaffold with watering cans hanging and a large plastic water butt in metal framework housed within.
  • Volunteer emptying a bucket of small stones into a ditch containing plastic water pipes to complete the construction of a 'French drain' at the Penrith community tree nursery site.
  • Close up image of tree saplings in black plant pots in spring sunshine.
  • Tree saplings in green leaf sat in individual black planting pots atop wooden palettes.
  • Volunteers sitting on wooden benches in sunshine, enjoying a cup of tea and a rest at the Penrith community tree nursery.
  • Two volunteers at a wooden table, putting small saplings into individual pots, filled with soil decanted from large orange buckets sat on the table.

Weekly Work Parties

Why not experience the wonderful nursery first hand by coming along to one of our twice weekly work parties to help us grow our saplings. There’s always lots to do. If you’re up for a spot of painting, planting, building, cleaning, chopping, tidying or digging then we’d love to see you and you’ll be made to feel very welcome!

Volunteering at our Community Tree Nursery

Access to Eden Doorstep Sites

Creating thriving natural spaces

Making improvements to the river environment at eight sites ‘on the doorstep’ of urban areas along the length of the river Eden.

Partners and Funders

This project is supported by the Access to Eden: breaking barriers, building bridges partnership project led by Eden Rivers Trust with a grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks also to the Garfield Weston Foundation and Penrith Town Council for their support during 2024.

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