Plymouth Urban Tree Festival returns to celebrate the city’s natural canopy

A packed nine-day celebration of Plymouth’s urban greenery kicks off this Saturday, May 10, as the Plymouth Urban Tree Festival (PUTF) returns for its third year with a vibrant mix of craft workshops, live music, storytelling, performances, and outdoor adventures.

The festival, which is part of a wider national series of urban tree festivals taking place across the UK, aims to celebrate the role trees play in city life, from improving wellbeing and biodiversity to providing shade, beauty, and cleaner air. This year’s Plymouth edition features more than 40 events, many of them free or low-cost, to ensure the whole community can take part.

Organised by Plymouth Tree People, the city’s festival is the result of a dynamic partnership with a wide range of local organisations, including Plymouth Arts Cinema, Plymouth Marjon University, Real Ideas, and Poole Farm. This year’s programme is also supported by the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, a regional initiative promoting tree planting and woodland expansion.

Festival organiser Ali White, who also coordinates Plymouth Tree People, said the festival offers “a raft of ways to celebrate the city’s trees and their benefits”.

“Lots of the events are free, and others we have been able to make more affordable than they might normally be,” said White. “We know Janners love trees and we want as many people as possible to get involved. This is a chance to come together and shout about how great trees are and all the benefits they bring to urban life.”

Events range from creative arts sessions to immersive outdoor experiences, with activities designed for all ages. Highlights include:

• Tree climbing for children, using ropes and harnesses under expert supervision

• A beaver tour and nature film night, in partnership with Poole Farm

• Dawn chorus walks, back by popular demand after last year’s success

• Storytelling sessions with Dartmoor-based author and folklorist Lisa Schneidau

• Hands-on printmaking workshops with Real Art Make Print at Ocean Studios

• Activities led by community groups including Snapdragons CIC, Tulgey Woods CIC, and the Rebel Botanists

Indoor events will be held at venues such as Plymouth Arts Cinema, while outdoor events will take place across green spaces in the city, including those enhanced by the Plymouth Natural Grid project, which aims to increase biodiversity and improve access to nature in urban areas.

The Plymouth Urban Tree Festival is part of a national movement to reconnect people with the trees in their neighbourhoods and raise awareness of the environmental and social value of urban forests. From mental health benefits and carbon absorption to wildlife habitats and flood prevention, urban trees are increasingly recognised as essential infrastructure for healthy cities.

The festival also comes at a time of renewed national focus on urban greening, with tree planting and nature-based projects high on the agenda in efforts to combat climate change and restore biodiversity in built environments.

For a full list of events, booking information, and festival updates, visit: www.plymouthurbantreefestival.com