Watering Young Trees - How you can help - Arboricultural Association

Leading tree care organisations are encouraging communities to do their bit and help newly planted trees survive the increasingly dry summer months.

The Arboricultural Association is stepping up efforts this summer to help young trees survive, as last year marked the warmest summer ever recorded globally and across Europe. With rising temperatures and dry spells threatening newly planted trees, the Association’s Young Tree Watering Campaign is expanding to ensure that tree planting efforts truly make a lasting impact.

You can help young trees thrive into the future by watering young trees near you over the summer months.

Research shows that 30% of newly planted street trees die within their first years, often due to lack of proper aftercare. Since its launch in 2020, the campaign has distributed over 10,000 tree watering tags—including 3,500 free tags to community groups—to remind people to water young trees during dry weather. It is recommended that newly planted trees are given 50 litres of water per week during the summer months, for the first three years after planting.

The campaign has gained support from leading environmental organisations, including the Woodland Trust, emphasising the importance of aftercare to help millions of newly planted trees reach maturity.

Local authorities and residents across the UK are joining forces to water young trees, recognising that planting is just the beginning. Proper aftercare ensures trees survive to deliver environmental benefits and combat the climate crisis.