Our woodland creation programme

The Council is part of the White Rose Forest partnership that is creating woodland across West and North Yorkshire.

It is part of a larger programme of works, the new Northern Forest of 50 million trees, that will stretch across Merseyside, Manchester and Yorkshire.

Free tree giveaway

You can help us plant the White Rose Forest. Following a successful giveaway last year, residents can once again get free trees.

All trees are locally sourced and native to the UK. Birch, Dogwood, Hazel, Rowan, and Blackthorn trees are available.

From Monday 25 November, you can collect trees from your local library. Find out when they’re open. You can also collect them from Thornes Park Nursery on Sundays between 10am to 12pm.

You don't need an appointment. You can collect up to three free trees from libraries. If you would like more than three trees, you must collect them from Thornes Park Nursery.

Blackthorn trees are only available at certain locations. These are Thornes Park Nursery. Plus, Airedale, Horbury, Sandal and Hemsworth Libraries.

You’ll need to bring a bag to carry them home in. If you don’t own the land, make sure you have permission before planting your tree.

Tree planting 2024-25

We’re planting 50,000 trees that will create a range of habitats for wildlife and help tackle climate change by capturing carbon.

We’re planting broadleaved and coniferous native woodland trees. We're carefully selecting species that will thrive in the environment.

Calling all volunteers – we need your help to plant trees!

This year, we’re planting at Walton Colliery and Slack Lane near Newmillerdam.

Whether you take part as an individual, a family, a group of friends or a team building exercise. We’d love your help to plant the White Rose Forest. By planting trees, you can help tackle climate change. It will also help to make Wakefield a greener and healthier place to live.

Thanks to the help of volunteers, we planted around 45,000 trees last year.
We’ll soon confirm how you can get involved. To be the first to know when volunteering dates go live, sign up to our Climate Action newsletter.

The map below shows where we’re planting and when.

Tree planting season winter 2022/23

Wakefield Council has planted two new woods in January and February 2023. One in the Gawthorpe area of Ossett and another in the Snapethorpe area of Lupset. With the help of around 500 volunteers, we planted around 32,000 trees on 19 hectares of land.

Members of the public suggested and then voted on names for the new woods. They are Maypole Wood (Gawthorpe) and Hope Wood (Snapethorpe).

Find out more

volunteering to plant
creating a Tiny Forest on your school grounds
private landowner planting opportunities
business support
any other enquiries

To volunteer as a tree warden visit: https://treecouncil.org.uk/tree-wardens/.