Tree Management

Harpenden Town Council is responsible for approximately 31,000 trees with over 69% of our canopy being the mighty English Oak. More than 12,000 trees are on Harpenden Common alone.

Harpenden Town Council has planted 6000 tree saplings and over 262 larger tree specimens, along with 517 meters of hedgerow since October 2021 to help combat the climate crisis. While much of the planting is carried out by our dedicated Green Spaces Development Officers, we also welcome volunteers to help us achieve these ambitious numbers. We are grateful to the countless Project Day volunteers, Brownie and Scout groups, schools and individuals who volunteer their time to tree planting, it makes an incredible difference to Harpenden’s landscape and wildlife.

Harpenden Town Council continues to undertake proactive tree management with a programme of tree planting across its open spaces. Click here to read the latest news about tree planting. Identified as an initiative in its Business Plan, the Council is dedicated to developing Harpenden as a sustainable town and to conserving and improving Harpenden’s parks, green spaces, and other assets so they offer a natural haven for residents’ use and enjoyment. The programme includes a mixture of trees of varying sizes, species and numbers planted in various locations, each with their own aim: to provide aesthetic interest, shade, screening, habitat etc. The Council believes in 'the right tree, in the right place, for the right purpose' approach.

Please click here to view the Town Council's Tree Policy.

As part of the programme, the Town Council has put together this simple Residents' Guide to Tree Planting that provides a brief overview of the benefits of tree planting and things to consider before, during and after planting a tree.