On World Rainforest Day, Moor Trees launches its new Impact Report 2025-26 celebrating achievements, collaborations and community, including key work to restore Dartmoor’s temperate rainforests.
Devon based charity Moor Trees publishes its latest Impact Report revealing that over the past 12 months it has benefited from the support and commitment of a dedicated team of285 volunteers (the majority of them local to the area) who collectively gave more than 6,400 hours of their time.
On a mission to restore native woodland on Dartmoor, 24,362 trees were supplied over the winter from their Community Tree Nurseries in South Devon, to a range of inspiring and essential woodland creation projects across the area. This includes the renowned fragment of temperate rainforest, Wistman’s Wood, and Devon Wildlife Trust’s new temperate rainforest Bowden Pillars at Totnes, as well as schemes funded by Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest including a site near Holne and another at Bickington. The tree planting season was supported again this year with funding from the Utility Warehouse Foundation.
Each year Moor Trees collaborates with local landowners to visit ancient woodlands as part of its seed gathering season supported by the Woodland Trust with funding thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery. 2025-26 saw over 352,000 (368kg) seeds collected and processed by volunteers ready to become woodlands of the future. This bumper season means there are now over 104,000 trees growing in the Community Tree Nurseries. This has been made possible by investments, thanks to funding from the Forestry Commission administered Tree Production Capital Grant, to expand the growing area to meet the increased demand for local provenance trees.
Launching the charity’s new Impact Report 2025-26, Chief Executive, Helen Aldis, said: “For over 25 years Moor Trees has been increasing the area of woodland and tree cover in the local area, tree by tree. With the dedication of our committed team of volunteers, we have now successfully created more than 167 hectares of woodland and 5.6 kilometres of hedgerow. These sites help to form a mosaic of habitats which in the coming years we are committed to further expanding and connecting to existing woodland to help nature recover on Dartmoor and create a more resilient and vibrant landscape.”
Mark Owen, Challacombe Farm, said: “It is wonderful that we have access to excellent quality local provenance trees here on our doorstep. When we are looking to plant trees on our farm we work with Moor Trees as we know the trees are already adapted to living and thriving on Dartmoor. Having the help of their team of volunteers with some planting along the river Webburn over the winter was also greatly appreciated to support our efforts to boost biodiversity and help to slow the flow of water into the river during heavy downpours.”
During its 25th anniversary year the charity continued to grow its profile hosting Walk and Talks and building stronger relationships with a range of local partners and funders to help deliver their future ambitions. Key achievements include:
- 2025-26 being the largest ever seed gathering season for Moor Trees
- Further expansion of Wistman’s Wood National Nature Reserve (NNR), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation (SAC) with the Duchy of Cornwall, Natural England and the Woodland Trust
- Citizen science monitoring programme ensuring the created woodlands are thriving whilst educating and enthusing volunteers and advising landowners on their continued care
- More than 104,000 trees growing in the Community Tree Nurseries with thousands more germinating
- Providing 162 opportunities for the local community to join Moor Trees as part of its year-round volunteering programme
Hazel, Volunteer, said: “I have been volunteering at Moor Trees for a number of years now and I find it such an amazing place to volunteer. Not only is it so special to be contributing to growing trees and restoring native woodlands and rainforests, but there is also such a lovely social community aspect to it too. It feels a place that’s very much good for the planet, mind, body and spirit!”
With the support of, and involvement in a wide range of partnerships, Moor Trees is able to deliver inspiring projects that help to achieve the restoration of native woodland habitats on Dartmoor. The charity’s upcoming priorities for this year include continuing to expand its portfolio of woodland creation sites and partnerships, increasing the supply of local provenance trees, sharing expertise and know-how and inspiring the local community to help breathe more life back into Dartmoor.
Moor Trees is grateful to the individuals and organisations who support their work through one-off donations, regular gifts and via our fundraising campaigns. The continued invaluable support of year-round volunteers to grow trees and create native woodland is helping to breathe more life back into Dartmoor. Moor Trees is calling on more people to get involved by volunteering time, creating woodland on their land, or supporting the charity’s work through donations www.moortrees.org/donate.
