About the Community Tree Nursery Collaborative (CTNC)

The Community Tree Nursery Collaborative (CTNC) is a vibrant peer-to-peer learning network dedicated to empowering community tree nurseries (CTNs) and the invaluable volunteers who support them. We facilitate the sharing of best practices while addressing common challenges and opportunities. Our goal is to provide essential resources and support to strengthen the growth of CTNs across the UK.

Our Vision: Nurturing Community and Ecology

We dream of inspiring and cultivating the successful development of hundreds of community tree nurseries across the UK, inspired by the dedicated individuals who volunteer their time and talents. Together, we can foster local tree cultivation, significantly increasing tree cover to benefit both our environment and our communities.

Remarkable Growth and Impact

Since our inception in 2021, the number of CTNs has grown from approximately 25 to nearly 100. CTNC has played a critical role in this surge, establishing itself as the recognized voice of the sector. CTNs are crucial in bringing local communities together, actively addressing biodiversity loss, and helping mitigate the effects of climate change. In addition, many CTNs provide valuable volunteering opportunities to individuals with diverse social, mental, and physical health needs.

In just a short time, we've seen an incredible response to our efforts, with nearly 2,500 people registering for our webinars and countless more viewing our videos online. Nearly 200 passionate members of Community Tree Nurseries (CTNs) have participated in our online open space sessions to share valuable knowledge, while 0ver 200 dedicated volunteers have joined us for hands-on workshops at our sites. 

Considering that there are just under 100 CTNs across the UK, this outreach is phenomenal! It demonstrates the vital role the Community Tree Nursery Collaborative (CTNC) plays as a network, fostering community engagement and environmental stewardship.

Making a Difference: Tree Production

Each year, CTNs successfully grow over 250,000 trees, primarily locally sourced broadleaf species. As more CTNs are established, this number continues to rise, contributing significantly to the tree planting targets set by the Committee for Climate Change's 7th Carbon Budget. This calls for a doubling of planting rates to 37,000 hectares per year by 2030. CTNs also play a unique role in nurturing harder-to-cultivate native species like black poplar, which enhances tree biodiversity in the UK. Collectively, our efforts constitute one of the most substantial community-led responses to the climate crisis through carbon sequestration and providing resilience against climate-related challenges.

The Urgent Need for Your Support

As our current funding comes to an end in March 2025, we urgently seek new funding to continue our essential work over the next few months. 

✨ How You Can Help Us

Your generous donations will allow us to run critical initiatives, including:

• An Online Member-Led Webinar: Educate CTNs about their role in climate adaptation and resilience.
• Two Open Space Sessions: Encourage CTN members to share their experiences, challenges, and successes.
• A Hands-On CTN Site Visit: Focus on best practices for growing climate-resilient tree species.

🌟 Every Donation Counts!

We invite you to contribute to our mission by making a donation today. Whether it's £10, £50, or any amount, your support will directly impact our ability to continue our vital work. 

🌟 Match Your Donation with Aviva!

We are excited to share that our Crowdfunder qualifies for Aviva Community Fund match funding! Aviva will match donations pound for pound, up to £250. This means that every contribution you make will have double the impact on our mission to support community tree nurseries. Your donation not only helps us achieve our goals but also amplifies the impact of your generosity!

🙏 Thank You for Your Support!

Together, we can empower communities, enhance biodiversity, and create a resilient environment for future generations. Thank you for believing in our mission and for helping us grow a greener future!

If you are donating on behalf of a community tree nursery or are involved in a CTN, please leave a message with your donation so we can give a shout out to our community members.

Donate now and make a difference!