Forest from Seed

Forest From Seed

Seeding hope in our tree nurseries

Working with Children and communities to grow local trees for local Children’s Forests.

We collect tree seeds from healthy local trees with children and their communities when they ripen in autumn time. As our ancestors would have done, we enjoy the edible fruits and nuts and save the seeds for sowing.

Together we help create the conditions for them to germinate and plant them in our tree nurseries to be grown into saplings. Over the course of a year, or sometimes two, the trees are tended by the children and their communities until they are big enough to be planted into local Children’s Forests. When we come together to harvest seed or tend the trees, we honour the gifts they give us with songs and stories. We play games together, share gratitude and sit around the fire, building a community of people all caring for the future forest trees.

Forest From Seed vision

  • Supporting communities to plant and tend tree nurseries to empower children and their communities to engage in a positive solution towards climate change and eco-restoration
  • Offering inclusive community skill building courses in conservation, seed collection, harvesting, processing and tending
  • Hosting community gatherings, sharing storytelling, traditional crafts, creative arts, foraging and feasting
  • Encouraging people to engage in the reciprocal relationship with nature, supporting communities to interact responsibility with the world around us 
  • Providing nature connection opportunities for children and the community.
  • Planting forests for the future generations 
  • Supporting children’s mental health & wellbeing through positive vision and purposeful action 

“Ancient trees are precious. There is little else on Earth that plays host to such a rich community of life within a single living organism.” –

~Sir David Attenborough

Community tending days

Monthly community tending days and fortnightly family tending days are held to support and maintain our tree nursery site for the benefit of the whole community. Tending tasks include looking after the veg beds, forest garden and tree nursery as well as the wider site and structures. At the family sessions we come together to tend the young saplings, plant tree seeds, sing to the trees, play games and share stories around the fire.

“I am forever grateful to the Children’s Forest team for their energy and passion, the joy they spread is contagious and they have blessed the hearts of three generations of our family.

What started as a few acorns, sweet chestnuts and conkers in pots, gathered and planted in the forest a couple of years ago by my daughter, has grown into a tree nursery full of seeds, whole beds of baby trees, which have then been planted out in forests. ”

~ Katie