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Thousands of trees planted in a year on The Sharpham Estate, thanks to funding

News Rewilding
5th June, 2025
by Katie Tokus | 2 Min Read
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Rewilding through tree planting by Ambios on The Sharpham Estate
Mike Cooke

Nearly 3,000 trees have been planted on the Sharpham Estate in the first year of our nature restoration project.

Hundreds of volunteers, nature conservation trainees and locals were involved in planting the trees, as part of the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest project that we're involved in.

We are once more partnering with Ambios, the nature conservation educators and rewilding experts who are based on The Sharpham Estate, to deliver the project. It follows on from our previous partnership on the five-year Wild for People initiative that turned Sharpham farmland wild.

Rewilding through tree planting by Ambios on The Sharpham Estate
Mike Cooke

Tree-planting is winter work

The new trees are the result of our first full winter planting season.

Months of groundwork  - including mapping, equipment preparation, hedge bank construction, and old fence removal - laid the foundation for what became a season of remarkable collaboration and ecological action.

The trees, grown locally by Moor Trees and Tamar Trees nurseries, were planted during their dormant season to reduce transplant shock and encourage healthy establishment.

“The enthusiasm and commitment from everyone involved has been extraordinary,” said Jack Skuse, Director of Nature Recovery at Ambios. “We’ve had such a wide range of people join us - from school groups and local families, to environmental youth leaders from Plymouth and national organisations such as St Ethelburga’s Centre. Each person has contributed something meaningful to the land and the legacy of this project.”

Planning biodiversity through planting

The planting design focused on enhancing biodiversity and natural connectivity, including standalone in-field trees, dense woodland edge zones, and traditional Devon-style hedgerows built onto raised earth banks. These corridors will serve as valuable habitats and seed banks, supporting a wide range of wildlife and helping to connect fragmented ecosystems.

In total, 27 species of tree were planted across the site, enriching the landscape with a mix of habitats that reflect natural succession and encourage species diversity.

Rewilding through tree planting by Ambios on The Sharpham Estate
Mike Cooke

What next for the project?

The initiative aims to capture carbon by restoring and rewilding land into thriving wood pasture habitat.

Ambios continues its work through training programmes and a vibrant volunteer group, ensuring that momentum for the project remains strong. “There’s another year to go, and another 2,600 trees to plant,” said Izzy Bloomfield, Tree Planting and Logistics Officer on the project. “We’re incredibly grateful to all who’ve joined us so far, and we’re always looking for more people to get involved in practical, hands-on nature recovery.”

The project is supported by the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest project through the ‘Trees for Climate’ fund as part of the Department for Environment, Food, & Rural Affairs (Defra) ‘Nature for Climate’ fund.

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