Friends of the Earth launch project in East Yorkshire

Hull and East Riding Friends of the Earth (HERFoE) has launched Tree Stories, a new project encouraging residents to reconnect with the living landscape in their communities.

Backed by £17,090 from the national lottery community fund, the two-year programme aims to inspire people to care for existing trees, support new planting, and explore the ways trees shape daily life.

Lauren Saunders, project artist and climate artist at HERFoE, said: “Tree Stories is about making space for many different ways of noticing, valuing and caring for trees.

“Whether your starting point is science, creativity, memory or everyday experience, this project invites people to build deeper relationships with the trees that shape our shared landscapes.”

Members of the public are invited to tell the story of a tree in their community, sharing creative responses, ecological observations, memories, historical research or hopes for new plantings.

A previous creative commission by Hull and East Riding Friends of the Earth – “Where beings are” (Image: Lauren Summers)

These stories will be added to a growing online ‘Digital Forest’ – an interactive map showcasing tree stories across the East Riding and Kingston-upon-Hull.

The project builds on local surveys highlighting strong public support for more green spaces, alongside HERFoE’s ongoing work to protect trees.

Originally conceived as an ‘adopt-a-tree’ scheme, it has grown into a broader community effort that blends creative, scientific, heritage and community-led approaches to nature connection.

Submissions are welcome in text, images or audio-visual formats, and can be sent online or by post.

To ensure the project is accessible, key resources are available in Romanian, Polish, Kurdish (Sorani), and Arabic through a partnership with Hull-based translation service Language Is Everything.

The programme will include free workshops, talks, walks and community events.

These will offer opportunities to learn about tree care and planting, while also exploring artistic and cultural connections to trees.

Friends of the Earth member Hilary picking litter from a local wooded area in East Yorkshire (Image: Supplied)

Lauren Saunders said: “Tree Stories invites people to slow down, notice and build relationships with the trees they live alongside – to see them as part of our shared community.

“Through observation, creativity, curiosity and shared knowledge, we can strengthen our collective responsibility for the places we call home.”

Tree Stories launches today, which is also Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

HERFoE is inviting community groups and public-facing organisations across the East Riding and Kingston-upon-Hull to take part, whether tree-focused or not.

Partners will be able to connect with new audiences, raise the profile of their work and contribute to a growing, county-wide celebration of trees and community action.

A dedicated Partner Pack and digital resources will be available to help organisations get involved.

For more information, visit hfoe.org.uk/treestories.