Kent County Council hosts international partners for Heritage Trees project visit

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Environment
Person standing beside a National Trust sign for Cobham Wood on a tree-lined path, while several people walk along the woodland trail in the background.

Kent County Council (KCC) welcomed international partners to Kent as part of a cross‑border Heritage Trees project, bringing together expertise from across the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands to support the protection and restoration of historic trees and landscapes.

The project, delivered through the Straits Committee, supports collaboration between partners in East and West Flanders, Zeeland and Kent to share practical experience and strengthen the conservation and long-term resilience of heritage trees. KCC’s participation is fully funded through a Straits Committee grant.

As part of the initiative, KCC’s Plan Tree team joined partners from East Flanders, West Flanders and Zeeland for a series of regional visits designed to exchange knowledge and build lasting international partnerships. The learning gathered through the project will inform ongoing and future work in each region, while helping to establish a wider network to support collaboration and innovation.

People walking and talking along a farm track beside a field of cattle, with trees, farm buildings and a utility vehicle visible under a partly cloudy sky.
Heritage Trees project partners visit Lees Court Estate to learn about work to restore and re-establish heritage tree species, including elm trees affected by pests and disease.

Kent hosted its regional visit from 11 - 13 May, welcoming 22 delegates from the partner regions. The programme showcased innovative approaches being used across the county to protect, restore and re‑establish heritage trees and landscapes, allowing participants to learn directly from organisations actively delivering this work.

The visit included site visits, short seminars and discussions with subject‑matter experts, covering key themes such as conserving and propagating heritage trees, managing pests and diseases in the context of climate change, recording and mapping trees and landscapes, and engaging communities in protecting their natural heritage.

Group of visitors standing beneath a large, mature tree with broad, twisting branches and dense green foliage in a woodland setting, looking towards the tree during an outdoor tour.
International delegates visit a veteran tree at National Trust Cobham Wood during Kent County Council's Heritage Trees project exchange, sharing expertise on the conservation and management of historic trees and landscapes.

Delegates visited several key sites across Kent, including:

  • National Trust Cobham Woods and Forestry England’s Bedgebury Pinetum, focusing on the conservation and management of heritage, veteran and ancient trees
  • The Brogdale Collections, demonstrating the propagation and protection of heritage orchard trees
  • Lees Court Estate, showcasing work to re‑establish heritage tree species, particularly elm trees lost due to pests and disease
Headshot of Jamie Henderson

“By working across borders and learning from practical experience on the ground, we can improve the resilience of our trees and landscapes...”

Jamie Henderson Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health

Jamie Henderson, Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health, said: “Kent’s heritage trees are a vital part of our natural landscape, cultural history and biodiversity. Hosting international partners through the Heritage Trees project has given us a valuable opportunity to share expertise, learn from others and strengthen how we protect these irreplaceable assets.

‘By working across borders and learning from practical experience on the ground, we can improve the resilience of our trees and landscapes in the face of climate change, pests and disease, helping to safeguard them for future generations.”

KCC’s involvement in the Heritage Trees project reflects its commitment to protecting the county’s natural environment and working collaboratively with national and international partners.