Making time for trees can be as much about making time for oneself. Whether you have a little time, or the energy for something more, there is always a way to help our trees contribute positively to where we live.

Visit Our Projects page to find out about current initiatives:

• Mind the Gap to suggest places to plant new trees (our fundraising appeal is now closed, but we hope to find new ways to fund new trees that we know are wanted);
• ChiTrees to volunteer to help us record existing urban trees - their location, type and size - so we can calculate the environmental services, and the value, they provide with the help of professionally-developed i-Tree software.

Also could you water a young tree until its root system is well-enough established for the tree to thrive? Read our Latest Tree Watering Alert to find out what's involved and volunteer.

Coming Soon (as soon as we can find the time):

• Chichester's Commemorative Trees - a hunt for commemorative plaques and records of tree planting with tree details and photographs to be published online. We'll be asking for your help in finding and celebrating these important trees, including documenting their plaques for the Historic Environment Record.
• an introduction to the national Ancient Tree Inventory and how you can add records.
• Chichester Community Tree Nursery - advance planning taking place whilst we wait for a plot.

Routinely, in your everyday life and taking next to no time at all:

• please notice the trees around us - their shape, their colour, their movement, their growth, the way people and creatures behave around them, how they change with the seasons. Be curious and one day you'll suddenly realise that you know that tree you see most days, or recognise its peer in another location, and understand its habits and at least some of its effects on the world around us.
• mention the trees you notice in conversation - you'll find others who notice them too and both shared and different perspectives. (It's not that big a step from talking about the weather!)

If you spot a problem with a tree alongside a public highway, you can report it to West Sussex County Council here. That link also includes an emergency 'phone number for the West Sussex Highways team. (You could save it as a Contact on your mobile 'phone, if you use one.)

To be continued ...

... planting a tree in your garden, if you have one (choosing the right tree for the right place) ... asking property owners to plant/replace trees (ditto) ... occasional group planting projects ...

Do get in touch with any queries or suggestions.