Join the great Dartmoor tree search

Devon charity Moor Trees, in partnership with the Woodland Trust, is calling on landowners, locals, and visitors to take part in the Great Dartmoor Tree Search - a community-driven effort to protect and enhance Dartmoor's native woodlands. 

Whether you're an expert in identifying tree species or simply enjoy the outdoors, your help is needed to locate and document some of Dartmoor’s most important trees.

The Great Dartmoor Tree Search, supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, aims to ensure the future of Dartmoor’s broadleaf woodlands and temperate rainforests by finding and preserving rare and vital tree species. Even if you’re not familiar with species like the wild service tree or the wayfaring tree, you can still contribute to this important work.

Locals and visitors are encouraged to use the free i-Naturalist app, an easy-to-use tool that allows anyone to identify trees and wildlife as a citizen scientist. 

By mapping and collecting information on priority tree species such as the wayfaring tree, guelder rose, whitebeam, wild service tree, and wych elm, participants will play a crucial role in building more resilient woodlands across the South West.

Rob Daulby, Woodland Trust Treescape Lead, emphasises the importance of community involvement: “Connecting people with trees and woodlands underpins all the work we do at the Woodland Trust, and this project with Moor Trees is a perfect example of this. Locally sourced and grown trees are really important, especially on Dartmoor to ensure a resilient future.” 

Helen Aldis, Chief Executive of Moor Trees, adds: “We're grateful for the ongoing goodwill and support of the community which is key to our success in delivering thousands of locally sourced and produced trees each winter. The Great Dartmoor Tree Search is a fun, easy way for locals and visitors to support us in finding rarer trees to boost seed stocks to ensure the restoration and creation of native woodland and temperate rainforests of the future.”

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery says: “We know how important local citizen science is to conservation work right across Great Britain. We’re delighted our players are supporting the Great Dartmoor Tree Search and look forward to seeing the results flourish in the future through local seed collections.”  

To get involved, participants are encouraged to download the i-Naturalist app onto their smartphones and share the locations of these priority species.

This can include woodlands and hedgerows owned by participants or that are publicly accessible. 

Participants are reminded to access only permitted land, take care of uneven surfaces, and avoid damaging any flora. 

No plant material should be removed.

The information gathered will be used by Moor Trees to plan its annual Autumn seed gathering programme, helping to increase the range and volume of trees grown in its community tree nurseries for local woodland creation schemes.

To learn more, visit www.moortrees.org/great-dartmoor-tree-search