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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

Summer 2025 update

Our reputation is growing! This quarter we have had two visits from groups interested in setting up a community tree nursery in their area: Shap Community Gardeners & Watchtree Nature Reserve, near Wiggonby. Two new volunteers have started coming to regular sessions and we have linked up with two conservation projects to supply trees for the coming planting season.

Regular volunteers continue to experience a massive amount of pride and ownership for this project. They come in for weeding sessions when there is no regular session and have co-ordinated themselves to cover daily watering during dry spells. They have also made extra effort this quarter to come in outside of regular sessions to help show off the site to visitors and support each other just by being there if they are not physically able to join in with a task, such as putting up the polytunnel frame.

In the words of one of our regular volunteers…

‘It’s a place apart from everything else. A place where I can just be - and take a break from everything else that’s going on.’

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’.

Image gallery

  • A scarecrow with arms made of flower pots stands holding an upturned wheelbarrow. The barrow is supporting a number of small tree saplings in pots. The scarecrow is wearing a black leather cap and sporting a 'Frankie Says Relax' t shirt.
    Our 2025 entry in the Penrith Scarecrow Competition - "Frankie grows a holly wood", stands guard at our tree nursery entrance.
  • Four volunteers gathered around an outdoor 'potting' table in sunshine looking at building plans with spirit level and toolbox in foreground. Lots of young saplings in separate pots in the background.
    Volunteers at the Eden Community Tree Nursery looking at instructions for poly tunnel build and installation
  • A flat section of sandy ground with the tubular metal frame of a large polytunnel structure spanning the space. Outdoor setting with small saplings in pots surrounding the bare ground where the frame sits.
    Construction of a new polytunnel underway at the Eden Community Tree Nursery
  • 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.

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.

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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