During February and March 2025 over fifty new trees have been planted around Fulbourn and as these grow during the coming years, they will enhance the appearance of the village and provide a range of environmental benefits.
The Fulbourn Tree Project was initiated by Fulbourn Forum, funded by grants from Wrights Clock Land (CIO) and delivered by Michael Downs and his team from Eastern Tree Surgery Ltd. The Village Design Guide of 2020 and the Neighbourhood Plan of 2023 has identified Fulbourn as a ‘village amongst the trees’ and the project aims to protect this heritage into the future.
The trees of the UK are under attack from a range of pathogens and the stress they experience due to climatic changes makes them more vulnerable to these. The impact of this is seen around Fulbourn with many of the common tree diseases present locally including Horse Chestnut Leaf-Miner, Ash Die-Back, Dutch Elm, Sycamore Sooty Bark and others. Our native and naturalised tree species increasingly find they are less able to thrive.
During 2024 an extensive survey was carried out of the village trees on public land to identify species, age and condition. This indicated that whilst Fulbourn benefits from many trees there is evidence of stress and a mature age profile. These findings were used to create the planting programme that is currently being implemented.
To ensure a healthy future tree population the Fulbourn Tree Project has included species and variants that are well adapted to the anticipated climate; these are often natives of warmer and drier regions. An example of this is that several oaks have been planted but rather than the traditional English Oak a more resistant variant from Southern Europe has been used.
Whilst the choice of tree species is important so too is initial planting and care. All the trees used in the project have been ‘container grown’ so the roots are well established and have a head start when they go into the ground. Each is provided with a watering system and is protected from damage by multiple stakes and anti-grazing mesh. For the first two years after planting each tree will be periodically watered, mulched and maintained by a specialist company after which time they will have become well established and able to look after themselves.
The publicly accessible land around Fulbourn is owned and managed by a variety of organisations including Fulbourn Parish Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and Metropolitan Housing (Thomas Rd area) and each of these provided permission for the planting of these new trees. Other organisations involved included HealthCare Homes on Cow Lane, The Alms Houses on Church Road, Fulbourn Primary School and The Townley Memorial Hall.
It is hoped that those residents who have a new tree near to their home will ‘adopt it’ and provide water when needed and report any problems that they notice.
Special thanks to Wrights ClockLand (CIO) without whose funding this project could not have occurred; the various land-owners who provided their ‘permission to plant’ and to the team from Eastern Tree Surgery Ltd who did the planting and organised the ongoing care.
Fulbourn Forum 