One of the easiest ways you can help nature is by growing and planting a native tree! Growing trees can really help nature recover and improve the natural environment where you live, for both wildlife and people, for generations to come.

Growing trees from locally collected tree seeds is the best way to do this, and can be great fun at the same time! You are never too young, or too old, to learn how to collect and grow your own trees from seeds.

Download the 'Grow More Trees: Autumn Seed Search' guide

From collecting, to growing, to planting - you can help!

Along with Cornwall Council, we are asking you to get involved in a county-wide autumn seed search. As part of the project, we will talk you through how and where to collect, grow and plant tree seeds in Cornwall.

All trees planted will contribute to The Forest for Cornwall (Koos rag Kernow); an ambitious tree planting project by Cornwall Council with the principle aim of fighting climate change. When complete, it’s hoped it will cover approximately 8,000 hectares - that’s about 2% of Cornwall’s land area.

What's the first step to take?

The first step is to collect seeds and right now is the perfect time to do this. On this page, we will talk you through where to look and what to collect. You can find out more about the overall project and the stages of planting the saplings by reading the 'Grow More Trees: Autumn Seed Search' guide.

How to collect and plant your seeds

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If you have your own compost bin, here’s the ideal opportunity to put its contents to good use. Failing that, bags of soil are readily available to buy from your local garden centre, but do choose carefully. Look for recycled or composted plant material, with coconut fibre as a good alternative, but do try to avoid using peat (even partpeat mixes) as the environmental damage caused by depleting the peat bogs could off-set all the positive effects of your tree-planting initiative!

The circle of life begins afresh

Some of your seeds can be placed directly into a pot of soil, but others will need the flesh of surrounding berries removed and a dormant phase of at least one winter before planting. This is known as stratification. The seeds will also grow at different rates, some barely peeping above the soil while others race skyward with impressive speed. This is quite normal and, provided they have access to sunlight and are watered regularly, they’ll soon develop into healthy young saplings.

A selection of trees and large shrubs which can be found growing naturally in Cornwall