Calling all tree lovers, we have an exciting volunteer opportunity to improve the health, diversity, resilience and canopy cover of the street trees in Sheffield.
About Sheffield Street Tree Partnership and Volunteer Tree Wardens
The Sheffield Street Tree Partnership was established in April 2020, in order to support the implementation and delivery of Sheffield’s new ambitious and exemplary Street Tree Strategy.
Sheffield is known nationally for its street trees, many of them planted over 100 years ago by the far-sighted community leaders of the time. However, maintaining and increasing the canopy cover of those street trees, taking into account their increasing age and the emerging disease threats to them, requires the support of the whole community.
Part of the new Strategy includes establishing a network of volunteer street tree wardens across the city of Sheffield, to support Streets Ahead in its activities to maintain Sheffield’s street trees, and to aid the Sheffield Street Tree Partnership. This includes supporting, influencing and engaging with both Streets Ahead and the Partnership Group, in order to deliver and influence the outcomes of the Strategy, improving your neighbourhood and community landscape in the process.
Sheffield Street Tree Warden Volunteer Role Description
We are looking for expressions of interest in becoming one of these volunteer Street Tree Wardens, specifically individuals who are passionate about trees in general and street trees in particular. Each individual Street Tree Warden will be allocated a specific geographic area, monitoring and reporting on the street trees in that area, and for carrying out a range of tasks as set out in the Role Description. The network of Street Tree Wardens will report to the Streets Ahead Tree Officers.
Main Duties:
Core Activities that each Tree Warden will undertake in Sheffield include:
- Championing your local street trees
- Monitoring the health of trees in an allocated geographic area
- Being the eyes and ears on the ground to report in any tree issues or concerns such as any signs of disease, danger, or damage to the tree (eg identifying ash dieback)
- Visiting all the street trees in your area at least twice a year
In addition to the above Core Activities, we would like Tree Wardens to:
- Support the planting and caring of street trees in your area, including activities to increase the overall street tree canopy cover
- Liaise between neighbours, the community, Streets Ahead and the Sheffield Street Tree Partnership
- Undertake and support other volunteers to carry out surveys of all types to improve our understanding of our street trees
- Get together with other like-minded people for training and sharing ideas
- Coordinate any watering of young trees in their first three years during long dry spells or the weeding of tree pits for new plantings, and/or placement of weed retardant mats
- Supporting the Sheffield Street Tree Partnership on tree related projects and public events as they arise
New Street Tree Wardens will receive specific training, support and direction to ensure your activities are valued and of value in taking forward the Sheffield Street Tree Strategy.
Skills Required
Individuals volunteering for these roles need to be aged 18 and above, and must also be physically able to carry out the duties listed above. You will be signing up to the aims and vision of the Sheffield Street Tree Strategy, as well as the Streets Ahead Code of Conduct. You should also be able to demonstrate the following skills:
- Good communication skills – an ability to deal with members of the public and other interested local stakeholders.
- A passion for trees and the natural world
How to apply
For those interested, please send your application to the following email address: treewardensstreetsahead@amey.co.uk
Your application should be made on one single A4 side, and should include:
- Name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone Number
- Preferred geographic area(s) in Sheffield, if you were to be appointed as a volunteer Street Tree Warden
- Why you are interested in this volunteer role
The Sheffield Street Tree Partnership is comprised of Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Sheffield Tree Action Groups, Sheffield City Council, Amey and the Woodland Trust.