Falmouth University community plants 500 trees in partnership with PlantOne

Earlier this year, Falmouth University staff and students planted 500 trees at the Trefusis Estate in Flushing, all of which will be registered as part of Cornwall Council's Forest for Cornwall initiative. The regenerative working woodland has now become a space for our community to engage with and support our environmental efforts. 

Falmouth University is committed to investing in local reforestation initiatives, contributing to local biodiversity gain and driving positive behavioural change within our student and staff communities. That’s where our partnership with PlantOne comes in. 

PlantOne Cornwall is a not-for-profit woodland creation company dedicated to restoring native woodlands across the county. A small but enthusiastic team, their unique approach empowers businesses, landowners and communities to create tangible, local solutions to these global problems. They also plant trees for ecological value first. So, by partnering with them, we’re supporting the restoration of historic Cornish habitat and biodiversity.  

Amoungst the 500 trees planted by the Falmouth University community at Trefusis Estate, species included: Sessile Oak, Wild Cherry, Wild Service, Douglas Fir, and Sugi Tree. Sessile Oak, Wild Cherry and Wild Service are native tree species which will provide habitat and resources to a wide variety of local wildlife. Sessile Oak in particular is the primary element of a temperate rainforest, while Wild Service is a rare species found in Cornwall that could benefit from further genetic diversity.   

All the trees planted will be registered as part of Forest for Cornwall – a flagship project of Cornwall Council’s Climate Change Action Plan, which aims to help the county achieve its ambitious 2030 carbon neutrality target. 

As one of the biggest and most vital organisations in the area, the opportunity to partner with Falmouth University is incredible. Together we can raise the awareness of the problem and our work to combat it, to a large and eager audience.

During the community planting days, PlantOne arranged for Surfers Against Sewage co-founder Chris Hines MBE to join the volunteers on one of the planting days. Besides being another pair for hands on the planting mission, Chris also gave an inspiring talk about activism and the importance of grassroots action. 

Representatives from PlantOne said of the partnership and planting days: “As one of the biggest and most vital organisations in the area, the opportunity to partner with Falmouth University is incredible. Together we can raise the awareness of the problem and our work to combat it, to a large and eager audience."

The Falmouth University Sustainability team will continue to work with PlantOne to provide opportunities for our students and staff to visit the planting site and help to carry out maintenance work, ensuring our trees are well cared for. The first of these opportunities is a Woodland Wellbeing event on 15 July, where attendees will also learn about baby tree identification. 

Falmouth’s funding will also be used by PlantOne to carry out annual surveillance of the site in Flushing, to create bespoke guidance on how the landowner can maximise success and biodiversity gains for the site over the coming decade. 

Falmouth University’s Sustainability Coordinator, Jake Causley, has said of the project: “I’ve been working for some time to gift our students and staff the opportunity to reconnect with local natural spaces, and enable them to take meaningful action for biodiversity and our climate. It’s been so rewarding to connect with PlantOne, deliver this initiative, and see our students and staff feel rewarded by the experience.” 

Find out more about Sustainability at Falmouth University