Any tree related news or information that is linked to either Exeter or Devon County Council can be found on this page. I have also included any related news posted by the East Devon District Council and other concerned parties.

07/12/22 DCC - Devon’s wildlife heroes receive awards for outstanding contribution to nature conservation. Community groups from across Devon have been commended for their action towards wildlife conservation at the Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards.

01/12/22 ECC - Tree planting project gets thousands of trees into the ground. Thousands of native trees will be distributed and planted across Devon this season thanks to Devon’s Wildlife Trust’s Saving Devon’s Treescapes, Working Wetlands and Avon Valley Projects.

30/11/22 ECC - Community group wins award for greening up its backyard. Community groups and individuals across Exeter are doing their bit to keep Exeter looking so good with trees and green spaces to enjoy.

29/11/22 ECC - Love for trees shines through in Exeter during National Tree Week. In the last three years, the City Council has received more than 250 images of trees for its popular tree photography competitions.

28/11/22 ECC - Help plant more trees in Exeter at community planting events. The events are taking place down at Exeter Quay on Tuesday 13 December – one at 10am and the other at 1pm – and are being organised by Saving Devon’s Treescapes.

28/11/22 DCC - Emergency Tree Fund ensuring thousands more trees are planted this winter. More than 16,500 trees are due to be planted in Devon this winter through the Emergency Tree Fund initiative.

24/11/22 ECC - Winners announced in Exeter tree photography competition. A stunning image of sun streaming through a golden-leaved ash tree outside Exeter Library has won the City Council’s tree photography competition.

23/11/22 ECC - Exeter top of the tree for green open spaces, new report reveals. Exeter’s city centre has more green spaces and trees than any other city in the UK, a new independent report has revealed.

15/11/22 ECC - Last chance to enter tree photography competition. With dramatic skylines and crisp autumnal weather, it’s the perfect time to get out and about and take part in Exeter City Council’s tree photography competition. But get your skates on, entries close on Friday (18 November).

14/11/22 EDDC - Colyford’s living legacy in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. The English oak tree, Quercus robur, and plaque can be seen by visitors to Seaton Wetlands walking from the Seaton Lane entrance (opposite Pope’s Lane). This tree can be found with the What 3 Words app using “sudden.confining.vegans”. 

10/11/22 ECC - Still time to enter Exeter tree photography competition. Budding photographers still have time to take part in a photography competition to capture Exeter’s favourite trees. But hurry, entries close on Friday 18 November!

09/11/22 EDDC - Unsung East Devon heroes thanked, after plethora of special regional and national ‘in Bloom’ awards. The unsung heroes who help keep East Devon’s towns looking beautiful have received special thanks, after Exmouth and Sidmouth won a plethora of special regional and national ‘in Bloom’ awards.

08/11/22 ECC - Tree planted in Exeter park as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy. An alder tree was planted in Heavitree Pleasure Ground as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy, an initiative launched to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee earlier this year.

03/11/22 ECC - Take part in tree photography competition and win fabulous prizes. There’s still time to take part in a tree photography competition in Exeter.

25/10/22 ECC - Get snapping - competition seeks to find Exeter’s favourite trees. It’s the third year running that the City Council has run the competition, teaming up with Devon Trees Services who are offering up a series of great prizes.

20/10/22 ECC - Blooming brilliant news – Exeter receives Gold in South West in Bloom. Organisers are celebrating after it was revealed that Exeter has achieved a Gold in the South West in Bloom Awards.

13/10/22 ECC - Minibeast safari in Exeter will put urban nature under the microscope. The free, two-hour workshop will investigate the insects living in the city and their habitats. Families will learn how to identify trees and different types of insects and will discover what plants and insects look like close-up.

11/10/22 ECC - New home for reptiles and amphibians in popular park. Amphibians and reptiles just love Exeter’s valley parks, especially now with purpose-built homes being created to make them feel at home in the city.

30/09/22 ECC - New Exeter bike and skate facility proving popular with riders and skaters. A new BMX bike track and skate facility in Exeter is already proving a big hit.

27/09/22 ECC - New valley park paths are perfect for autumn strolls in Exeter. Paths have been improved and upgraded in one of Exeter’s popular valley parks, making them perfect for an autumn stroll.

26/09/22 ECC - Chance to take part in a new project exploring Exeter’s Green Circle. Free family-friendly guided walks around sections of Exeter’s beautiful Green Circle are due to begin this week as part of a new creative project in the city.

21/09/22 EDDC - New 25 acre green space secured for East Devon residents. A new area of open green space for local people to enjoy next year has been acquired by East Devon District Council.

21/09/22 ECC - New equipment installed at popular play area. An attractive new wooden climbing frame and slide has been put in at the Bury Meadow Play Area.

20/09/22 ECC - Heavitree park wins ‘local favourite’ award in nationwide poll. The Exeter park finished in the top 20% of the entire public vote of the Fields in Trust poll, earning the popular green space the title of ‘local favourite’.

19/09/22 ECC - Large crowds watch state funeral of Queen Elizabeth at Northernhay Gardens. More than a thousand people attended a screening of the state funeral for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Northernhay Gardens.

06/09/22 ECC - Walking in Exeter’s beautiful green spaces is a great way to get active. Walking is a fantastic way of improving both physical and mental health – and Exeter’s beautiful green spaces make it the perfect place for people to get active and enjoy the outdoors.

05/09/22 ECC - Join free hedgerows walk and talk. The importance of hedgerows for wildlife, capturing carbon and farming will be highlighted in a free walk and talk around one of Exeter’s popular valley parks.

02/09/22 ECC - Plans are progressing to create a new wildlife haven in Exeter. Progress on plans to create a new wildlife haven at the former Northbrook golf course is due to be discussed by councillors.

01/09/22 ECC - Chance to opt out of second weed spray of the year. Residents in Exeter are being given the chance to opt-out of the second highways weed spray of the year in an attempt to reduce the use of chemical controls in the city. 

30/08/22 DCC - Stover Country Park takes action for nature thanks to £2.5million Heritage Fund grant. The project will deliver a network of walking routes, linked to an improved Discovery Centre, community workshop and outdoor learning areas.

25/08/22 DCC - There is still time to apply for free trees. We are offering free packs of trees to landowners and communities within Devon, thanks to the Emergency Tree Fund granted by The Woodland Trust.

24/08/22 ECC - Study looks at connection between nature pictures and mental health. Seeing pictures of Exeter’s green spaces and wildlife could have important benefits to mental health, new research is seeking to test.

17/08/22 ECC - Play area freshened up for children to enjoy. Equipment at the Summerway Play Area has been repaired and freshened up for children to enjoy in the school holidays.

16/08/22 ECC - Changes will improve popular valley park for visitors. One of Exeter’s most popular green spaces is undergoing a host of changes aimed at improving the experience for visitors.

05/08/22 ECC - Free family fun days in popular valley park. Nature charity Devon Wildlife Trust is inviting families to go wild every Thursday in Exeter’s Mincinglake Valley Park.

02/08/22 ECC - Popular play area spruced up for youngsters. The City Council has spruced up the play trail at the Powlesland Road Play Area, prolonging its life and making it more appealing.

29/07/22 ECC - Celebrate Exeter’s parks as part of Love Parks Week. Running from 29 July to 5 August, the Keep Britain Tidy initiative gives people a chance across the country to shout about their wonderful green spaces.

18/07/22 ECC - Residents urged to vote for one of Exeter’s amazing parks in national poll. Exeter residents are being urged to vote for one of the city’s beautiful parks in a poll to find the nation’s favourite.

15/07/22 ECC - Historic Exeter gatehouse reopens as cafe and community hub. ​Exeter's historic Pinces Gardens gatehouse has reopened as a cafe and community hub with space to hire. St Thomas resident Abbe Martin has taken over the running of the gatehouse to create The Birdhouse park café.

14/07/22 ECC - Exeter parks in running for nation’s favourite. Heavitree Pleasure Ground, Pinces Gardens & Cowick Barton Playing Fields, Ludwell Valley Park and Mincinglake Valley Park all received nominations as part of the Fields in Trust’s search for the UK’s favourite green space.

14/07/22 ECC - Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Ground will reopen this Friday. The Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Ground will reopen on Friday morning – just in time for the predicted heatwave.

05/07/22 ECC - Go wild in Exeter this summer. Both events are part of the Devon Wildlife Trusts ‘Saving Devon’s Trees’ initiative and are a chance to get back to nature and see wildlife up close and personal.

05/07/22 ECC - Popular play area given new “lease of life”. The City Council has spruced up play equipment at Roundtable Meet, off Beacon Lane, in Exeter, prolonging its life and making it more appealing.

01/07/22 ECC - Inspiration behind Heavitree’s ‘snake’ of stones sadly passes away. A young woman who inspired a ‘snake’ of painted stones to be laid down in a popular Exeter park has sadly died at the age of 26.

27/06/22 ECC - Park remains open whilst works carried out. Parts of Bull Meadow Park have had to be closed off to the public while work is carried out to repair a collapsed culvert.

24/06/22 ECC - Time to nominate your favourite Exeter park. The search for the UK’s favourite park is being carried out by Fields in Trust – the independent charity that has been protecting parks and green spaces for almost 100 years.

16/06/22 ECC - Wildflowers start to bloom in Exeter. Colourful displays of wildflowers are starting to dominate Exeter’s roadside verges, roundabouts and various patches of land in the city.

25/05/22 EDDC - Get outdoors for a nature adventure in East Devon this summer. The Wild East Devon 2022 Events Programme has launched, including outdoor events across East Devon, from May to October 2022 & a free ‘Queen’s Trail’ at Seaton Wetlands this half term.

13/05/22 ECC - Splash into summer and enjoy Exeter’s paddling pools. The Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Ground and the paddling pools at Heavitree Pleasure Ground are on track to open up on Friday 20 May.

26/04/22 ECC - Explore a guided walk around Exeter’s Valley Parks. Devon Wildlife Trust, who manage the six Valley Parks on behalf of the City Council, have organised three guided walks, kicking off on Wednesday 4 May in Ludwell Valley Park.

13/04/22 EDDC - Seaton Wetlands provide new home for endangered wildlife and protected plants.  Seaton Wetlands, the jewel in the crown of East Devon District Council’s nature reserves, is playing a crucial role in the survival of protected species.

13/04/22 ECC - Chance to opt out of first weed spray of the year. Residents in Exeter are being given the chance to opt-out of the first weed spray of the roads this year in an attempt to reduce the use of potentially–damaging chemical controls in the city.

12/04/22 ECC - Exeter’s Topsham Road to become city’s first ‘wild highway’. People in Exeter are being invited to find out how to make community green spaces vibrant, food producing and biodiverse. They are being invited to a Community Growers Network Social and Seed Swap.

30/03/22 ECC - Swap seeds and find out about biodiversity at community event. People in Exeter are being invited to find out how to make community green spaces vibrant, food producing and biodiverse.

24/03/22 ECC - ‘Mindless vandalism’ of trees leaves community group saddened. Vandals targeted two newly planted oak trees in Cowick Barton Playing Fields over three consecutive nights, ripping out the trees and their protective tree guards.

23/03/22 DCC - Devon residents called on to join the Great British Spring Clean. This year the message is simple. Join the #BigBagChallenge and pledge to pick up as much litter as you can from 25 March – 10 April 2022. 

21/03/22 EDDC - Ottery play area reopens after £50k revamp, with 12 metre zip wire. A ground level trampoline and a 12 metre zip wire are among the new attractions at the Winter’s Lane play area, owned by East Devon District Council (EDDC).

18/03/22 ECC - Popular Valley Park boasts fantastic new access improvements. One of Exeter’s much-loved green spaces has become even more accessible thanks to a series of improvements that have been carried out.

18/03/22 ECC - Valley parks show Spring in full bloom with floral displays. As fresh flowers and plans break into bloom, March is a great month to see the emerging celandines, primroses, bluebells and daffodils in Exeter’s Valley Parks.

18/03/22 ECC - ‘Field with no name’ gets a name. Nearly 100 people responded with their ideas. Some were colourful, others were inventive, and a few were unprintable, but in the end ‘Cuckoo Field’ has been selected as the field’s new name.

15/03/22 EDDC - Community tree planting success in the Clyst Valley. Over 130 volunteers of all ages gathered at West Clyst farm to plant 1,000 new trees to help enhance the Clyst Valley.

10/03/22 EDDC - Exciting new perennial planting schemes revealed for East Devon open spaces. Last year East Devon District Council (EDDC) made a move towards becoming more environmentally friendly, planting more perennials which return bigger and better each year in parks and green spaces.

09/03/22 DCC - Restoring Stover Park project preparing grant bid submission. Devon received just over £341,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) in 2020 to develop proposals for the £3.6 million project.

09/03/22 ECC - Community group transforms scrubland into park for locals to enjoy. Community group Wonford Planters have spent the last two years transforming a small area off Burnthouse Lane into a much-loved park for locals.

25/02/22 ECC - Locals plant new community orchard in Exeter. lanting of the orchard took place today (Friday 25 February) at Library Fields in Pinhoe, Exeter. Local residents grabbed gardening gloves and spades to get the trees in the ground.

23/02/22 EDDC - 70 oak trees to be planted in East Devon, celebrating Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. EDDC is working with councillors and local parish and town councils to find suitable locations for the English oaks which can also be enjoyed by the public.

15/02/22 ECC - Residents invited to help create a new community orchard in Pinhoe. As well as tree planting the community event includes free trees to plant at home, craft activities, scavenger trail, litter pick and books giveaway.

10/02/22 ECC - Sowing the seeds of love. It’s 10 years since the first wild flowers were sown on roundabouts, roadside verges and grassy areas around Exeter. The colourful initiative began in 2012.

09/02/22 EDDC - New Queen’s Green Canopy has been created on land owned by East Devon District Council in Sidmouth. On Saturday February 5, the vision of local residents finally came to reality when a team of over 30 people turned up to plant the trees and create the first sizeable Queens Green Canopy on EDDC land.

09/02/22 ECC - Exeter Valley Park to have access upgrades. Barley Valley Park – one of six Valley Parks in Exeter managed by Devon Wildlife Trust on behalf of Exeter City Council – will undergo a series of improvements this spring to improve access for local people and other visitors.

04/02/22 DCC - First 4,000 trees being planted as part of Emergency Tree Fund. Planting of the first 4,000 trees through the Woodland Trust’s Emergency Tree Fund (ETF) project in Devon is being carried out by a partnership of local councils, community groups and schools.

25/01/22 ECC - Locals enjoy tree planting event in park. A Community group has helped green up a park in Exeter by planting more trees. Cowick Roots & Recreation applied for a grant from the Tree Council and with the help of local volunteers have planted three oak trees at Cowick Barton Playing Fields.

20/01/22 ECC - Community group all set for park tree planting. Green fingered locals in Exeter are making a difference to their neighbourhood park by planting and maintaining trees for everyone to enjoy.

18/01/22 ECC - Have your say on city centre improvements. People are being asked for suggestions on how to spend £10,000 of money to improve the environment in Exeter city centre.

14/01/22 ECC - New trees planted to replace ash dieback victims. New trees are being planted in Exeter to replace old ones that have fallen victim to Ash Dieback disease.

12/01/22 ECC - Historic gatehouse renovation revealed as fences come down. The iconic Pinces Gardens gatehouse – dating back to around 1912 – has been re-roofed and repaired by Exeter City Council. The works have been carried out to preserve the history of the park.

04/01/22 EDCC - New year, new you: explore local nature walks from Exmouth GP surgeries. Exmouth residents can make a healthy new start to 2022 by getting outdoors and enjoying nature thanks to the launch of three new Green Health Route guides.

21/12/21 DCC - Volunteers are abuzz at Follaton Arboretum. Members of staff from our Environment Group volunteered their time to help plant a whopping 210 trees for bees at Follaton Arboretum in Totnes, as part of a scheme to plant 1,450 trees across five sites.

17/12/21 ECC - Tree photography competition winners receive their prizes. ​The winners of a tree photography competition in Exeter have been presented with their prizes.

10/12/21 DCC - 50 trees planted to celebrate 50th anniversary of Grand Western Canal Country Park. School children, volunteers and councillors have been busy helping the Canal Rangers plant 50 trees along the Grand Western Canal to celebrate its 50 years as a Country Park.

06/12/21 DCC - Devon gearing up for Storm Barra. Devon is expecting another battering from the latest named storm tomorrow (Tuesday 7 December).

02/12/21 ECC- Saving Devon’s Treescapes secures vital funding. Devon Wildlife Trust’s Saving Devon Treescapes has won funding for the next four years. The project is supported by a number of partners including Exeter City Council.

30/11/21 DCC - County Hall tree planting celebrates Queen’s Green Canopy initiative. ​Trees have been planted at County Hall in Exeter as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative to celebrate the forthcoming Platinum Jubilee.

30/11/21 ECC - New data reveals 16,000 trees planted in Exeter. The figures –released during National Tree Week (27 November to 3 December) – reveal that the City Council plant, on average, more than 700 trees every year.

26/11/21 DCC - Storm Arwen set to bring strong winds. Devon is braced for the first named storm of the winter, with Storm Arwen expected to batter the south west with gale force winds throughout today (Friday 26 November) and tomorrow.

26/11/21 ECC - More trees to be planted in Exeter. More than 100 trees are to be planted across Exeter over the coming weeks, the City Council has announced. National Tree Week takes place across the country from 27 November to 5 December and the City Council has revealed its winter planting plans for the city.

25/11/21 EDDC - East Devon District Council scoops three prestigious planning awards for Clyst Valley Regional Park. The Clyst Valley Regional Park has been declared overall winner at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) South West Awards for Planning Excellence 2021, as well as winning the ‘Excellence in Plan Making Practice’ category and highly commended in the RTPI South West Chairs Award for Health, Wellbeing and Inclusivity.

24/11/21 ECC - Winners announced in tree photography competition. An image of a tree being lit up by the first rays of morning sun near the River Exe has been declared the winning entry in a photography competition to find Exeter’s favourite trees. The image, taken by Dan Bullock, emerged as the clear winner in Exeter City Council’s tree photography competition, which attracted more than 100 entries.

19/11/21 ECC - Exeter set to get new community orchard. The orchard will be planted at Library Fields, Pinhoe, early next year, providing fruit for the local community and a place for people to come together and be involved in activities such as pruning and apple days.

19/11/21 ECC- ​Flood of entries for tree photography competition. As the competition drew to a close on Friday 19 November, Exeter City Council had received almost 100 entries, with some stunning images of trees across the city. 

17/11/21 ECC - Last chance to enter tree photography competition. Today’s a great day to get out and about in Exeter and explore the city’s trees in all their glorious autumnal colour.

12/11/21 EDDC - Go on a hunt to discover new nature boxes in Sidmouth's woods. New 'Creative Nature Boxes' encourage local families to connect with nature in the East Devon AONB

11/11/21 DCC - Has your organisation given nature a helping hand? The Devon LNP is launching the Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards to celebrate parish and town councils, communities, schools and special individuals that have going that extra mile to address the urgent Ecological Emergency.

09/11/21 EDDC - Ottery play area to get £50k revamp, with 12 metre zip wire. An Ottery play area, designed by more than 200 local children, is getting a £50,000 revamp, with new equipment including a ground level trampoline and a 12 metre zip wire.

09/11/21 ECC - Park tennis courts in Exeter – most popular in UK. The Tennis For Free (TFF) sessions at Heavitree Pleasure Ground have been ranked number one in the UK for participation.

08/11/21  ECC- Take part in photography competition to capture Exeter’s favourite trees. There’s still time to get snapping and take part in a photography competition to capture Exeter’s favourite trees.

05/11/21  ECC- Artwork unveiled at site of striking new Council housing project in Whipton. Colourful artwork created by schoolchildren and residents has been unveiled at the site of a stunning new environmentally-friendly housing project for Exeter City Council.

04/11/21  ECC- Exeter Solar Farm will provide more renewable energy for city. Work to create a City Solar Farm in Exeter made up of over 3,700 solar panels is due to get underway.

02/11/21 ECC - Wildlife refuges on Exe Estuary playing their part for the environment. Wildlife refuges designed to protect wild birds in the Exe Estuary are proving successful.

29/10/21 EDDC-  Exmouth Skate Park official opening event postponed until spring. Unfortunately, due to the recent rainy weather EDDC has had to postpone the official opening event of Exmouth Skate Park, that was due to take place on Saturday.

21/10/21 ECC - Inside Heavitree’s new park cafe and community hub. A long-awaited park café and community hub is set to open in Exeter, thanks partly to City Council funding.

19/10/21 ECC - Enjoy the night sky during Devon Dark Skies Week. People are being encouraged to enjoy Devon’s dark skies and find out more about light pollution and how they can protect wildlife in their own back yards.

15/10/21 ECC - Workers swap office for the outdoors to green up Exeter. Workers from Investec Wealth & Investment, based in Exeter, swapped the office for the outdoors to help with a tree planting programme in Exeter.

14/10/21 DCC - Grand Western Canal and Stover Country Parks awarded Green Flags. ​Stover is celebrating its 18th consecutive year of gaining the award, and it’s the 13th year that the Grand Western Canal has attained the international quality mark for parks and green spaces.

13/10/21 DCC - Lord-Lieutenant launches tree planting initiative in Devon to mark 2022 Platinum Jubilee. The Devon launch of a national project to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 took place at an Exeter primary school on Tuesday 12 October with a ceremonial tree planting.

08/10/21 ECC - Enhancement of Exeter beauty spot overwhelmingly backed by residents. Residents have overwhelmingly backed proposals to enhance a much-loved green space in the heart of the city following a public consultation, councillors have been told.

06/10/21 ECC - Fungi spotting in Exeter’s Valley Parks. As Autumn colours dominate Exeter’s skyline, October is a great month to see what’s out there and the city’s Valley Parks are a great place to spot the many varieties of fungi.

06/10/21 ECC - Get snapping and capture Exeter’s favourite trees. Budding photographers are being reminded to take part in a photography competition to capture Exeter’s favourite trees.

30/09/21 ECC - Find out how to plant for pollinators. Planting for pollinators and creating green corridors across Exeter will be at the heart of an online event about biodiversity in the city.

29/09/21 ECC - Garden wildlife photography competition entries go on display. Stunning images of ‘backyard’ wildlife taken by Exeter folk during the third national lockdown earlier this year have been unveiled in a new digital exhibition.

20/09/21 ECC - Help shape Exeter's future. People are being invited to help shape Exeter’s future by getting involved in a consultation exercise for a new Local Plan.

17/09/21 ECC - New Exeter smart bins to make collections more efficient. New ‘intelligent’ litter bins that squash the waste down and send out a message when they’re full have been installed at a popular beauty spot in Exeter.

15/09/21 ECC - Paddling Pools in Heavitree close for the season. Paddling pools at Heavitree Pleasure Ground in Exeter will not now reopen this year, the City Council has revealed. Water play facilities at the Splashpad in St Thomas, however, are still open.

15/09/21 ECC - Photography competition to find favourite trees in Exeter. For the second year running, people are being asked to take a picture of their favourite tree in Exeter as part of a photographic competition.

31/08/21 ECC - Still time to give your view on improvements to Heavitree Pleasure Ground. A survey launched to find out what people want from Heavitree Pleasure Ground and the facilities within the park is available to complete online until 19 September.
The findings will help inform plans to give the paddling pools and play area a makeover.

11/08/21 ECC - Residents can opt out of chemical weed spray of city roads. A total of 28 opt-outs were received for the previous spray in May, with a total of 44 enquiries about the initiative. Anyone who opted out of the first spray will still need to contact the City Council if they want to opt out of the second spray.

06/08/21 ECC - Help shape plans for popular paddling pools makeover. People can help shape exciting new plans to refurbish paddling pools and a play area in Exeter. A survey has been launched to find out what people want from Heavitree Pleasure Ground and the facilities within the park.

05/08/21 ECC - Bloomin’ lovely – Exeter creates stunning competition entry. With over 180 hanging baskets, raised beds and planters, a student herb garden, city bee project with five hives located in a rooftop garden, bikes in bloom, the creation of Exeter Wild City with Devon Wildlife Trust and well-maintained landscaped areas across the city, Exeter is championing how cities and green spaces can mix.

29/07/21 ECC - Help save Devon’s treescape by getting involved in project. People are being encouraged to help save Devon’s treescapes by identifying notable trees in their neighbourhood and recording them on a simple web-based app.

29/07/21 ECC - Swings set to return in city play areas. A number of swings that were removed from play areas In Exeter during the pandemic because of social distancing guidelines, are gradually being put back, Exeter City Council has confirmed.

28/07/21 ECC - Jumpers for goalposts as newly improved pitches open up. Works to upgrade football pitches in Pinhoe are nearly complete and fencing has come down at Pinhoe Station Road Playing Fields so that locals can enjoy the improved playing surface over the school holidays.

08/07/21 WT - State of the UK’s Woods and Trees. The Woodland Trust’s new report, State of the UK’s Woods and Trees, is now available. This is the first report of its kind, laying out the facts and trends on the current state of the UK's native woods and trees.

08/07/21 DWT - Saving Devon’s Treescapes project has come to the end of its first year, having planted over 10,000 trees. You can now watch the year in review video on YouTube. Over the summer, Devon Wildlife Trust are asking people to submit their emotional and artistic response to Ash Dieback. These submissions will be featured in their Ash Archive.

16/07/21 ECC - Memorial tree plaque pays tribute to victims of Coronavirus. A plaque has been unveiled in Exeter next to a memorial tree planted to remember those who have sadly lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic.

14/07/21 ECC - Bee good to pollinators – it’s Bees’ Needs Week.  People in Exeter are being encouraged to back the bee this week and beyond by planting more flowers and letting their gardens grow wild.

08/07/21 ECC - Popular paddling pools to get exciting new makeover. The plan is to keep the pools open throughout this year and next summer and start construction in the Autumn of 2022, minimising disruption. All going well, the new water play facilities and play areas will be ready to reopen in May 2023.

02/07/21 ECC - Exeter bowling club set to celebrate Centenary. St Thomas Bowling Club was founded in 1921. One hundred years later, the club that is based in Cowick Barton Playing Fields is still going strong.

23/06/21 DNLP - New Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest announced. The creation of Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest is part of a government drive to see tree planting rates treble in England by the end of this Parliament.

22/06/21 ECC - Enjoy a picnic in Exeter’s green open spaces. It’s National Picnic Week, so what better way to enjoy Exeter’s green open spaces than by packing up a spot of lunch or dinner and heading into the great outdoors for a bite to eat.

21/06/21 ECC - Big-hearted students help clear plastics from beauty spot. Big-hearted students offered up their time and energy to help clear a beauty spot of thousands of now-defunct plastic tree guards. The T-level students from Exeter College set to work picking up the plastic at Millennium Woodland in Topsham.

21/06/21 ECC - Proposals for enhancing key green space overwhelmingly backed by residents. The consultation on how best to enhance the former Northbrook Approach golf course off Topsham Road was launched earlier in the year in partnership with Devon Wildlife Trust.

17/06/21 ECC - Green fingered locals turn scrubland into wildflower delight. Green-fingered locals in Exeter have put on their gardening gloves to help transform a roadside verge into a wildflower area and haven for wildlife.

15/06/21 ECC - Bloomin’ beautiful – Exeter explodes in riot of colour. Roadside verges, roundabouts and various patches of land in Exeter have broken out in a riot of colour as wildflowers have started to bloom.

11/06/21 ECC - Community Garden project flourishes thanks to City Council funding. A £469 ward grant from Exeter City Council has allowed St Thomas Community Garden to expand, buy fruit trees, plants and seeds, and to install a community noticeboard to tell everyone about what’s going on.

09/06/21 ECC - Splashdown – paddling pools are now open! The paddling pools at Heavitree Pleasure Grounds and the Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Grounds reopened this morning (Wednesday 9 June) at 10am.

03/06/21 ECC - Get ready for splashdown – paddling pools set to reopen! The paddling pools in Heavitree Pleasure Grounds and the Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Grounds will reopen on Wednesday 9 June.

27/05/21 ECC - Young litter pickers - "environmental champions" of Exeter. A group of schoolchildren have been praised for their efforts after organising a litter pick in Exeter.

25/05/21 ECC - Public thanked for woodland tidy up. Volunteers have been than thanked for helping to collect thousands of now-defunct plastic tree guards from a beauty spot in Topsham.

21/05.21 ECC - Volunteers needed to help collect old plastic tree guards. The spiral tree guards were used to protect the trees at Millennium Woodland when they were first planted between 1999 and 2005.

19/05/21 ECC - Reducing chemical weed controls in Exeter. The City Council is keen to reduce the use of potentially damaging chemical controls in Exeter. Recently it offered residents the chance to opt out of chemical weed controls if they could maintain their own section of road or cul-de-sac.

07/05/21 ECC - Residents get the opportunity to opt out of chemical weed spray of city roads. Residents in Exeter are being given the chance to opt out of the first weed spray of the year of roads in Exeter to reduce the use of potentially–damaging chemical controls in the city.

30/04/21 ECC - Exeter is one of the country’s top places to live for tree coverage. Working with Bluesky, an aerial survey company that analyses tree cover, the figures reveal Exeter is the second leafiest location in the country behind Surrey.

29/04/21 ECC - Exeter preparing to go wild this summer. Roadside verges, roundabouts and various patches of land in Exeter are being prepared for a riot of colour later in the year. Wild flower seeds are being sown throughout Exeter as part of the Wild City project.

28/04/21 ECC - Allotment holders turn patch of land into wild flower and nature area. Members of Trews Weir Canal Side Allotments were joined by staff at the City Council’s Parks Team to transform the unused patch of land.

21/04/21 ECC - ​Winners receive prizes in Stay at Home Wildlife Photography Competition. The competition, organised by Exeter City Council and Devon Wildlife Trust, proved very popular, drawing a total of 93 entries from amateur photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. The standard of entries was exceptional, with dozens of stunning images.

14/04/21 ECC - Vandals won’t ruin tree photography project, organisers vow. The people behind a project aimed at saving Devon’s treescapes have said they won’t let vandals ruin the initiative. It comes after vandals damaged a sign at a fixed photography post in one of Exeter’s parks.

13/04/21 ECC - Free tennis sessions set to return to Exeter’s park courts. The Tennis For Free (TFF) sessions will start up again on Saturday 17 April on the City Council-run courts at Heavitree Pleasure Ground and at Cowick Barton Playing Fields in St Thomas.

06/04/21 ECC - New Countryside Code launched to help people enjoy the outdoors. The new Code allows people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that nature offers, while giving it the respect it deserves.

31/03/21 ECC - Don’t forget to get involved in tree photography project. People are being encouraged to take part in a photography project to assess the effect of ash dieback disease on the landscape in Exeter.

31/03/21 ECC - Growing together with RAMM this Spring. Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery’s newest community initiative places planting and growing at the centre of improving civic wellbeing.

23/03/21 ECC - Memorial tree planted to remember all those lost during the pandemic. A memorial tree has been planted in Northernhay Gardens in memory of all those who have sadly lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic.

18/03/21 ECC - Pinces Gardens Historic gatehouse to be given makeover. The iconic Pinces Gardens gatehouse – dating back to around 1912 - is to be re-roofed and repaired by Exeter City Council. The work is likely to be carried out in May and hopefully completed by the Summer.

12/03/21 ECC - Get involved in photography project to record impact of deadly tree disease. Members of the public are now being encouraged to take photographs from the fixed posts to capture Exeter’s changing landscape over the coming months and years. The pictures, will capture changes to the treescape and will help inform decisions about future plantings across the city.

05/03/21 ECC - ​Your views wanted on improving Northbrook green space in heart of the city. The Council is now working with Devon Wildlife Trust, who manage the Council’s six Valley Parks, to secure the views of local people on a vision for the space as a ‘wild arboretum’ and invite their ideas.

05/03/21  ECC- Creating new woodland in Exeter. New woodland is being created at a popular green space in Exeter to compensate for the loss of trees caused by ash dieback disease. Around 300 trees are being planted on land off Lancelot Road by Exeter City Council.

26/02/21 ECC - People’s photography project to record impact of deadly tree disease. People across Exeter are being invited to take part in a study to assess the effect of ash dieback disease on the landscape of the city.

24/02/21  ECC- Oak tree set to become a ‘Landmark’ in Exeter.  ‘Landmark’ tree has been planted in one of Exeter many green spaces, with the hope that it will one day grow into one of the city’s iconic trees.

17/02/21 ECC - New flytipping warning after large pile of rubbish dumped at beautyspot. The Council has again warned against the hazards of flytipping after a van load of rubbish was dumped in a quiet city lane.

12/02/21 ECC - Park users get creative to celebrate community cafe. Children in Exeter are being asked to get creative and help decorate safety hoardings going up around a new community café being built in a popular park.

10/02/21 ECC - Supporting the ancient rural craft of hedgelaying. The ancient rural craft of hedgelaying is alive and well in Exeter, thanks partly to a team from the City Council. Gardeners from the Council’s Public and Green Spaces team recently laid a hedge in Ludwell Valley, adjacent to Topsham Road.

05/02/21 ECC - Fabulous response to Wildlife at Home photography competition. Organisers of a wildlife at home photography competition have been bowled over by the high standard of entries. Exeter City Council and Devon Wildlife Trust received 93 entries for the competition, with dozens of stunning images.

04/02/21 ECC - Liveable Exeter - delivering clean and inclusive growth in our city. Liveable Exeter is an ambitious programme to build 12,000 new homes in the city over the next 20 years. But what is a liveable city, and what does this mean for Exeter?

27/01/21 DCC - Stover Country Park shortlisted for Tourism Award. The Devon County Council owned park, near Newton Abbot, has been shortlisted in the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award category.

27/01/21 ECC - Deadline for comments on three key strategies extended. There’s still time for people to have their say on three important strategies for Exeter. The City Council has extended its deadline for comments by a week, until Sunday 7 February.

25/01/21 ECC - Still time to enter wildlife photography competition. There’s still time to enter a wildlife at home photography competition where squirrels and foxes are currently proving the most popular subjects.

20/01/21 DCC - Please act responsibly when using public rights of way. Dog owners are reminded to act responsibly and keep their dogs under close control.

14/01/21 ECC - Photo competition to capture wildlife on their doorstep proves popular. Organisers of a photography competition to capture wildlife in the garden have been delighted by a flood of entries.

08/01/2021 ECC - ​Council to offer garden and landscaping services to householders in Exeter. Householders in Exeter may soon be able to take advantage of a variety of council-run garden and landscaping services. Exeter City Council is looking to broaden out a number of its services like landscape gardening and path and patio laying.

07/01/21 ECC - Stay at home photographers encouraged to capture wildlife on their doorstep. eople are being encouraged to take photographs of ‘Wildlife at Home’ in a fantastic new competition with some great prizes up for grabs.

06/01/21 ECC - Don’t forget to have your say on three key strategies. The strategies set out the future for three key areas of outdoor recreation: Trees and Woodlands, Play andParks and Green Spaces. The City Council drafted up its proposals in December but is now keen to hear the thoughts of the people.

24/12/20 DCC - Ash dieback infected trees near Tavistock to be removed. Around 175 trees infected with Ash dieback will be felled from alongside the A386 near Tavistock next month (January).

22/12/20 ECC - Collapsed wall prompts road and play park closure. Part of Countess Wear Road has had to be closed to traffic following the collapse of a wall. The wall, which borders the old play area at King George V Playing Fields, has fallen into the road below, making it impassable to vehicles just south of the junction with Mill Road. No-one was hurt

15/12/20 ECC - Tree-mendous support from Council workers. Parks and Green Spaces team workers saved the day when they went to the aid of a community and helped to install a Christmas tree. Staff from our Parks and Green Spaces team jumped at the chance of helping the community at Gras Lawn in Exeter.

14/12/20 ECC - Have your say on three key outdoor strategies for Exeter. People in Exeter are being given a chance to have their say on three important strategies for the city. The City Council has drafted up its proposals but is now keen to hear the thoughts of the people.

14/12/20 ECC - New films show off city’s green riches. A series of new films have been released showcasing Exeter’s beautiful Valley Parks in all their green glory. The five, two-minute films have been commissioned by the Devon Wildlife Trust, who manage the green spaces on behalf of the City Council, and feature Riverside, Ludwell, Mincinglake, Duryard & Belvidere and Barley Valley Parks.

09/12/20 ECC - Planting more trees in Exeter. At a time of year when most people are putting a tree inside their house, the City Council has been planting more trees outside in Exeter’s green spaces. The latest tree planting took place at Pinhoe’s Library Fields, where a row of trees were put into the ground and will in time create an avenue of trees.

07/12/20 ECC - Have your say on new green space on edge of Exeter. People are being asked for their views on a major new green space on the edge of Exeter. A masterplan for Clyst Valley Regional Park – stretching from Killerton House to Topsham, taking in Broadclyst, Poltimore House, Whimple and Ashclyst Forest – has gone out to public consultation.

07/12/20 ECC - Photography winner Paul donates tree to popular park. The winner of a photography competition has donated his prize of a tree to a popular city park. Generous Paul Osborne didn’t have room in his own garden so instead allowed the tree to be planted in Heavitree Pleasure Ground.

30/11/20 ECC - Committed to trees in Exeter. It’s National Tree Week this week and to mark the occasion, we’ve had a look back at all the trees that have been planted in the city over the last 12 months. Exeter City Council is committed to its green open spaces and an ongoing programme of tree planting across the city.

26/11/20 ECC - Photography competition captures Exeter’s stunning trees. ​A photography competition to find people’s favourite trees in Exeter has been declared a success. Exeter City Council, who organised the competition to celebrate National Tree Week (28 November to 6 December), received 79 entries, with some stunning images.

10/11/20 ECC - People urged to blow whistle on pitch vandals. Vandals have targeted work being carried out to improve football pitches in Exeter. Fencing at Pinhoe Station Road playing fields has been kicked over and damaged during an attack at the weekend.

10/11/20 ECC - Fly-tipping: the uncomfortable truth. Devon Wildlife Trust’s Steve Hussey spotted this example of fly-tipping on one his regular walks around Ludwell Valley Park. The Valley Parks are managed by the conservation charity on behalf of the City Council and provide thousands of local people with green spaces in which to escape and relax.

10/11/20 ECC - Staying active in Exeter’s green and open spaces. People in Exeter are being encouraged to make use of the city’s parks and green spaces to remain active during ‘lockdown’. Exeter City Council said the city was home to more than 500 acres of green open spaces that can be used for walking, running and cycling.

09/11/20 EDDC - East Devon skateparks and multi-use games areas close as part of national restrictions. National Covid-19 restrictions have led to the closure of East Devon’s skate parks and multi-use games areas until Thursday 3 December.

09/11/20 EDDC - Have your say on a masterplan for the Clyst Valley Regional Park. A public consultation on proposals for new, public, green space around the Clyst Valley is taking place from Monday 9th November 2020 until 12 noon on Thursday 7th January 2021.

03/11/20 ECC - Still time to take part in tree photography competition. There’s still time to get out and about and take a picture of your favourite tree in Exeter. Entries close on Friday 20 November and the best picture will win a tree – kindly donated by Devon Tree Services - and a framed photograph of the picture. There is also an under-16 category for budding junior photographers, with the same prizes donated by the City Council.

21/10/20 ECC - Photography competition to find Exeter's favourite trees.  People are being asked to take a picture of their favourite tree in Exeter as part of a photographic competition. ​The competition is being run by Exeter City Council in the run up to National Tree Week – 28 November to 6 December.

15/10/20 EDDC - Green Flag Awards achieved for District Council gardens and nature reserves. Over 2,000 parks and green spaces across the country have earned a highly sought after Green Flag Award. The flag is a sign to the public that these spaces boast the highest possible environmental standards, are beautifully maintained and have excellent visitor facilities.

14/10/20 DCC - Essential maintenance planned on A381 at Totnes. Work to remove Ash dieback infected trees along the A381 Totnes western bypass will be carried out as part of essential highway maintenance getting underway on Monday (19 October).

14/10/20 DCC - Green Flag Awards for Stover and Grand Western Canal Country Parks. Devon County Council’s two country parks have been presented with prestigious Green Flag Awards.

05/10/20 DCC - First trees planted in Saving Devon’s Treescapes project. The launch of the ambitious “Saving Devon’s Treescapes” project has been marked by the planting of its first trees.

05/10/20 ECC - Community-spirited litter pickers praised by Council. Council officials have been heartened by the number of requests from community groups and individuals to hire litter-picking equipment to tidy up their neighbourhoods.

29/09/20 DCC - Tree safety work continues. Routine inspections by Devon County Council have found a number of trees infected with Ash dieback along these major routes and they are being felled for public safety reasons.

28/09/20 ECC - New recycling bins on the Quay. Exeter City Council has installed several brand new recycling ‘on-the-go’ bins around Exeter Quay, enabling visitors and walkers to recycle their drinks bottles, cans, clean paper and plastic packaging rather than use the litter bins already in place.

18/09/20 ECC - Popular park helps celebrate unexpected Birthday. A popular park in Exeter is playing its part in helping a woman who wasn’t expected to survive beyond her early teens celebrate her 25th Birthday.

16/09/20 ECC - Free tennis sessions return to Heavitree. Free tennis sessions return to the public tennis courts at Heavitree Pleasure Ground on Saturday. The weekly sessions are run by national sports charity Tennis For Free in partnership with the LTA and Exeter City Council.

10/09/20 ECC - Help protect wild birds on the Exe Estuary. Summer begins to mellow, winds begin to change and that is the herald for the beginning of a spectacular time of year for wildlife on the internationally important Exe Estuary.

04/09/20 ECC - Exeter is one of UK’s greenest cities, new research reveals. Exeter has been listed as one of the greenest locations in the UK - thanks to the city’s high density of parks and green spaces. Researchers used an open street maps database to closely analyse the UK cities with the largest area of parks per person. Exeter was ranked ninth in the UK.

18/08/20 ECC - Work to improve football pitches in Pinhoe is about to begin. Fences will start going up on site at Pinhoe Station Road from tomorrow (Wednesday 19 August) to allow the work to take place. The Council recently revealed its plans to refurbish and upgrade the football pitches, providing a better surface with improved drainage.

13/08/20 ECC - Lizard tale has happy ending. A monitor lizard found wandering around an Exeter park has been reunited with its owner. On Thursday Rex was reunited with his owner, who was delighted to have him back and thanked Council staff for capturing him.

12/08/20 ECC - Tropical lizard a surprise discovery in Exeter park. Park keepers in Exeter made an unusual discovery when cutting grass – a metre-long monitor lizard. The lizard was spotted by a member of the public in the wooded area of Belle Isle Park. The lady notified Exeter City Council parks staff who managed to locate it in long grass.

07/08/20 ECC - Exeter backs campaign to love and respect our local parks. A national campaign to encourage people to respect local parks has been endorsed by Exeter City Council. ‘Love Parks’ was recently launched by Keep Britain Tidy following a spike in litter and anti-social behaviour in parks across the country, calling on people to ‘Be Kind to Local Parks’.

29/07/20 ECC - St Petrock's planter project. Rough sleepers and homeless people have been enjoying a project to bring colour to Exeter city centre. St Petrock's planter project has been declared a success and helped those suffering as a result of the COVID-19 ‘lockdown’.

24/07/20 EDCC - East Devon District Council to re-open a further 12 play areas from Monday 27 July. East Devon District Council will be re-opening a further 12 play areas from Monday (27th July) following the relaxation of restrictions around the coronavirus lockdown.

24/07/20 ECC - Grass management policy protecting our pollinators. Exeter’s policy of letting grass grow longer in certain parts of the city is helping to address the decline of pollinators and has won backing from the Devon Wildlife Trust.

21/07/20 ECC - Play areas opening up in Exeter. Monday saw 16 of Exeter’s 71 play areas opened up again to the public following the Coronavirus outbreak. The other play areas will open up over the next few days and people are being asked to look out for announcements on social media.

20/07/20 ECC - King George V Playing Fields play park gets much-needed makeover. The Play Park at King George V (KGV) Playing Fields has reopened to the public following a £14,000 overhaul. Other play parks across the city will reopen throughout the week.

15/07/20 ECC  - Play areas in Exeter reopen with new makeover. From Monday (20 July) play areas across the city will begin to reopen. However, with a total of 71 throughout Exeter, it may be later in the week by the time that some are opened up.

13/07/20 DCC - Double celebration for Stover Country Park. The country park near Newton Abbot has been awarded a £341,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its “Restoring Stover Park” project.

10/07/20 EDCC - East Devon District Council to re-open 12 play areas from Monday 13 July. The district council manages 71 play areas and eight outdoor gyms which were all closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the coming weeks, the council will assess the remaining 59 play areas and outdoor gym equipment and will phase the re-opening of these sites once safety inspections, risk assessments and mitigation measures have been put in place.

06/07/20 EDCC - East Devon District Council to re-open its skate parks and multi-use games areas. Four skate parks and 12 multi-use games areas (MUGAs) will be re-opening to the public from Monday (6 July) and East Devon District Council is working towards opening some play parks too over the coming weeks as the UK gradually comes out of Coronavirus lockdown.

03/07/20 ECC - Play parks to re-open soon. In addition to the fantastic parks and green spaces already available in Exeter, recent changes to government guidance are allowing more spaces to be opened up safely over the coming weeks and months.

19/06/20 EDCC - Update on East Devon skateparks and multi-use games areas. East Devon District Council has received a number of enquiries from people who would like to see our skateparks and multi-use games areas re-open.

19/06/20 ECC - Ridgeline Park tree planting latest. A Community Woodland created by volunteers just before ‘lockdown’ is already thriving, new photographs have shown. Volunteers helped plant 1,500 trees at Ridgeline Park in Pinhoe.

17/06/20 ECC - Go wild in the city! – Exeter’s colourful displays. A riot of colour is starting to break out across the city, with wild flowers coming into bloom as part of the Wild City Project.

12/06/20 ECC - Exeter Community Wellbeing – A Green, Growing City. There are many Wild City sites all around us, as well as the wildlife that springs up seemingly against the odds. It’s great to see nature flourishing in and around our communities.

10/06/20 ECC - First steps to replace old bridge on Quayside take place. The first steps to replace an old bridge on Exeter Quayside that had come to the end of its life are taking place this week.

08/06/20 EDCC - East Devon invests £325,000 on improving four children’s play areas in Seaton, Honiton and Exmouth. Four play areas across East Devon are to be refurbished over the next few weeks as the district council spends a total of £325,000 on improving them.

05/06/20 ECC - Diseased trees to come down amid safety concerns. The City Council is currently surveying the health of Ash trees on its land across the city and early signs are not good. It is estimated that the UK will lose up to 90% of its ash trees over the coming months and years.

02/06/20 DCC - Tree Council: Branching Out Fund. Funds are available to help schools and community groups proposing to undertake well-planned tree and hedge planting projects this winter (November 2020 – March 2021), preferably during National Tree Week which is 28 November to 6 December 2020.

15/05/20 ECC - So, what can you do in Exeter’s parks and green spaces this weekend? All of the city’s parks and green spaces – including the six Valley Parks and cemeteries – continue to remain open to the public, provided people keep to social distancing measures. The same applies to allotments throughout the city.

15/05/20 ECC - Exeter Community Wellbeing update - enjoying the outdoors safely. It’s been another beautiful May week, and spirits are lifting both with the sunshine and with the creative and caring acts that are going on around the city. 

14/05/20 DCC - Maintenance on public rights of way will assist social distancing. Seasonal vegetation cutting will start next week (Monday 18 May) as Public Rights of Way Wardens ensure that Devon’s network of paths and trails are kept open and are as clear as possible to assist with social distancing.

13/05/20 ECC - Public tennis and basketball courts have reopened. Following the recent Central Government Directive the council has reopened public tennis and basketball courts in Exeter. The courts were reopened at 3pm on Wednesday. But there are important regulations in place covering their use.

12/05/20 ECC - Wildlife haven in Exeter set to benefit from cash boost.  Ludwell Valley Park - a mix of green pastures, hedges and wooded copses covering more than 50 hectares of rolling countryside, just a mile from the city’s busy centre, is set to benefit from a £48,692 grant.

07/05/20 DCC - Environmental improvement scheme at Stover Country Park shortlisted for award. An environmental improvement scheme at Stover Country Park has been shortlisted for a prestigious civil engineering award.

07/05/2020 ECC - Enjoy a tree this May. The Tree Council is asking people in Exeter to take a picture or a video of a tree and post it up online to inspire and uplift others during these difficult times.

06/05/2020 ECC - Bloomin’ marvellous. One of Exeter’s oldest residents is still looking good at the ripe old age of 130 years. The beautiful wisteria arch in Pinces Gardens has been delighting locals and visitors now since the 1880s.

05/05/2020 DCC - More than 1,800 trees planted through free tree offer. The County Council, in association with the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity The Woodland Trust, offered a limited number of packs of sapling trees via the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum website.

23/04/2020 ECC - Work underway to secure space recently occupied by travellers. Work to prevent unauthorised encampments on Lakeside Green in Countess Wear is underway. Council workers are creating a large bank to prevent unauthorised vehicle access at the site, which was recently occupied by travellers.

22/04/2020 ECC - Works required on trees to make them safe. Officers at the City Council continue to identify unsafe trees across Exeter during the Coronavirus outbreak to ensure the city remains a safe place to be. Sadly, two matures trees have been identified with significant decay and work will need to be carried out to make them safe.

22/04/2020 ECC - Keeping Exeter’s grass at bay to allow people to exercise responsibly. Staff are cutting the grass in Exeter’s parks and green spaces to allow people to exercise and stay healthy during the ‘lockdown’ period.

21/04/2020 ECC - Travellers have moved off land in Countess Wear. Travellers have moved off land in Lakeside Avenue, Countess Wear, after a direction was issued ordering them to leave.

17/04/2020 ECC - Play areas get makeover whilst closed due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Some play areas in Exeter are being refurbished whilst the equipment is out of use due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

06/04/2020 ECC - Allotment holders urged to walk and not drive to their site.  Allotment holders should walk to their site whenever they can and only take their car if absolutely necessary. Greater care needs to be taken when it comes to the frequency of allotment visits and how crowded the sites can become.

31/03/2020 ECC - ​Allotments stay open but social distancing is essential. The allotments will remain open until the City Council is instructed otherwise, as they provide valuable physical exercise opportunities and mental health support.

30/03/2020 DCC - Information regarding Public Rights of Way and Coronavirus. We recognise that public rights of way and the cycleway / walking trails in Devon provide an opportunity for local people to take exercise and get some fresh air in these difficult times.

30/03/2020 ECC - Skatepark shut following Government advice on protecting people. Flowerpot Skatepark has been closed by our Public and Green Spaces Team following Government advice on social distancing.

19/03/2020 ECC - Public consultation on Northbrook Approach and three strategies postponed. A public consultation on future plans for the former Northbrook Approach pitch and putt golf course in Exeter have been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

13/03/2020 DCC - Ash dieback infected trees near Bickleigh to be felled. Almost 200 Ash dieback infected trees in Mid Devon will be felled later this month (March). Devon County Council has identified 190 infected trees in the Bickleigh area that need to be removed for safety reasons.

12/03/2020 ECC - Get active in Exeter's Valley Parks. The sessions in Mincinglake Valley Park are run by Exe Nordic Walking and funded by the Connecting Actively to Nature (CAN) project. Mincinglake is one of six Valley Parks owned by the City Council and managed by Devon Wildlife Trust.

10/03/2020 ECC - Community woodland planting completed by councillors. The councillors were helping to create a community woodland for local residents to enjoy. A total of 2,000 trees have been planted as part of the Monkerton Ridge Plan.

06/03/2020 ECC - City Council stresses the importance of its open green spaces. Green spaces are “absolutely vital” to Exeter, the City Council has declared, and the local authority will do everything possible to protect them.

05/03/2020 - Spring comes to Exeter's Valley Parks. Exeter’s Valley Parks are starting to show signs that spring is upon us, despite the wet weather. Spring flowers are starting to bloom and green shoots appear on trees and shrubs.

04/03/2020 - Proposals to enhance green space at Northbrook set for public consultation. Planting more trees and creating a community orchard are just two suggestions for the future use of a former pitch and putt golf course in Exeter. Last year the City Council decided to close the golf course, which had low visitor numbers. It quickly stressed that it had no plans to sell the site or build houses on it.

02/03/2020 - Volunteers help create community woodland.  Big-hearted volunteers have been helping to create a community woodland in Exeter. The volunteers were planting 2,000 trees as part of the Monkerton Ridge Plan in Pinhoe. The woodland creation site was recently adopted by from a developer in order to provide green space for the local community. I helped out for a couple of hours.

02/03/2020 - Ludwell Valley Park community clear up. A community clear up in the Ludwell Valley Park has been hailed a success by organisers. Around 20 people braved the showers to help rediscover the bulbs and tree saplings planted in the area two years ago, and which were covered in brambles and weeds.

28/02/2020 - Creating a community woodland in Exeter. Volunteers will be planting a community woodland in Exeter this weekend. The planting was started off by Lead Councillor for Environment and City Management, Cllr David Harvey.

20/02/2020 - More trees being planted in Exeter. A total of 450 trees were planted in Ludwell Valley Park by volunteers as part of the ‘Saving Devon’s Treescapes’ initiative. The project, which is backed by Devon Wildlife Trust, who managed Exeter City Council’s six valley parks, aims to stimulate action by replacing trees lost to ash dieback disease, outside woodlands, both in the countryside and in towns and cities.

20/02/2020 - Volunteers needed to help plant community woodland. ​People are being invited to help plant a community woodland in Exeter. Around 20 volunteers are needed to help plant 2,000 trees as part of the Monkerton Ridge Plan.

18/02/2020 - Storm clear-up costs expected to rise. The repair and clear-up bill from Storm Dennis and Storm Ciara is expected to cost at least £200,000, according to early estimates from Devon County Council.

18/02/2020 ECC - Leader Column: plans for Northbrook reaffirm our commitment to open spaces. Exeter City Council will be working with the Devon Wildlife Trust, which is a great institution, on plans to create something very special at this site. They are the experts and we can trust them to get the most out of this community asset.

17/02/2020 DCC - ​Clear-up underway after Storm Dennis. Highways teams have been flat out over the weekend dealing with issues thrown up by the latest winter storm. ​Crews are out clearing trees, landslips and debris from roads, as well as clearing gullies and drains.

14/02/2020 DCC - Devon braced for Storm Dennis. Devon is bracing itself for another weekend of stormy conditions with the arrival of Storm Dennis this weekend (Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 February). Devon County Council is again urging people to take extra care when travelling on the county’s roads.

11/02/2020 - EDDC - Community tree planting success for ‘Cranbrook Canopy’. Around 40 volunteers of all ages joined East Devon District Council and Cranbrook Town Council to plant new native woodland, including 250 oak trees, at Cranbrook Country Park in the heart of the Clyst Valley.

11/02/2020 ECC - Sixty new council homes to be built in Exeter with more to follow. Planning permission has been granted for 92 flats at Vaughan Road. Sixty will be council homes, with 32 available on the open market. All the homes will be built to energy efficient standards and will be a mix of one, two and three bedroom properties for both individuals, couples and families. To make way for the new development the existing 15+ mature trees will be felled. Have something to say about this news? Please use the Blog.

10/02/2020 ECC - Storm Ciara tree damage. ECC staff have been out working across the city after Storm Ciara caused damage to several trees which needed removal for safety reasons.

10/02/2020 DCC - Highways teams dealing with Storm Ciara aftermath. The county was battered throughout yesterday, with winds speeds reaching around 75mph, causing numerous trees to come down. Extra highways crews turned out to deal with reports of more than 60 fallen trees and branches across the county.

29/01/2020 ECC - Community comes together to plant tree in much-loved park. A tree planting event brought members of the community together in a popular park in Exeter. The charity donated the tree to the City Council-run park to make it even greener and remind people about the work they are carrying out in Ethiopia. The tree was planted in memory of the late John Rainger who supported the charity.

28/01/2020 ECC - Popular park set to get community hub. Park users in Heavitree will soon be able to grab a coffee and a cake while on the go, thanks to a grant from Exeter City Council. Community charity Park Life Heavitree is building a café and community facility in Heavitree Pleasure Ground. The café will offer affordable, locally-sourced food and drink and the building will include toilets and a community space that will be able to be hired by local groups.

17/01/2020 ECC - Gusty conditions keep tree teams busy in Exeter. High winds and driving rain have kept workers at Exeter City Council busy this week, dealing with a number of fallen trees. A willow tree came crashing down at Salmonpool, behind Isca College on Thursday afternoon, blocking the footpath. Workers from the Council’s Parks & Open Space team attended and were able to clear the path within an hour, ensuring walkers and cyclists could continue with their journeys.

10/01/2020 ECC - Tree planting set to raise awareness of climate change. A tree is to be planted in an Exeter park to raise awareness of climate change and deforestation in Africa. Local charity Exeter Ethiopia Link will plant the tree in Belmont Park on Saturday 18 January. The charity has donated the tree to the City Council-run park to make it even greener and remind people about the work they are carrying out in Ethiopia.

08/01/2020 ECC - Tree vandalism – public urged to report cases to police. Officers believe the damage, which was probably carried out in early January or over the Christmas period, may have been caused by a dog. There have been cases nationally where dogs have been encouraged to attack trees to strengthen their jaws and jumping ability. The tree was so badly damaged, officers feel it may not be able to survive.

23/12/2019 ECC - Play equipment delivered in time for Christmas. The play equipment in Belmont Park has been installed by Ministry of Play on behalf of Exeter City for the Friends of Belmont Park. It has been completed in time for the school holidays. Friends of Belmont Park helped fund the equipment thanks to a grant from Exeter City Council.

09/12/2019 ECC - ​We're committed to planting more trees across Exeter. More and more trees are being planted across Exeter, as we strive to increase the canopy cover across the city. The latest place to benefit from a new tree was Legion Way in Alphington, where a Magnolia tree was planted this week. The tree will provide deep pink/purple flowers in late spring. 

06/12/2019 - New kit helping city to become carbon neutral. Parks staff in Exeter are doing their bit for the planet – moving away from traditional petrol-driven equipment and helping to reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

29/11/2019 - Safety concerns prompt felling of a diseased tree.  A large copper beech tree colonised by giant polypore fungus will have to be felled in Exeter because of safety concerns. The mature tree in Caroline Avenue, Newcourt, was once within the grounds of Newcourt House but is now part of the local housing estate. The tree was felled on the 11th of December 2019. Have something to say about this tree? Please use the Blog.

20/11/2019 - Hard lines - a look at how the Council prepares its pitches for the weekend. Preparing Exeter’s public football and rugby pitches for the weekend’s action is a huge undertaking, with some 7-8 miles of lines having to be marked up every week. The City Council has four staff marking the lines every week during the football and rugby season, with one cutting the grass every ten days. A full-size pitch requires 570 yards of lines to be painted, while a youth pitch is 400 and a mini pitch 140.

12/11/2019 - Leave it to the leaf sweeping teams in Exeter this Autumn. Leaf sweeping teams in Exeter are set to collect around 250 tonnes of leaves from the roads and pavements this autumn and that’s the weight of a blue whale! As well as the 381km of public highway, the Public and Green Space teams from the City Council also collect from the parks and open spaces across Exeter, keeping paths both slip free and leaf free over autumn.

07/11/2019 - Autumn paints a golden glow on Exeter’s Valley Parks. Exeter’s Valley Parks are looking glorious this time of year as Autumn paints a golden glow over the city’s green lungs. Owned by the City Council and newly managed by Devon Wildlife Trust, the Valley Parks are the perfect place to unwind with a leisurely stroll, wildlife ramble, jog or cycle.

18/10/2019 - Alternative methods of controlling weeds in the city to be trialled. Alternative methods of controlling weeds in the city are to be trialled following concerns about glyphosate. The Council is joining a select band of local authorities to take action after concerns were raised about the potential effects on health and the environment.

19/09/2019 - Play time at Pinhoe! A newly refurbished play area that includes fully accessible equipment has been officially opened in Exeter. The new play area provides a challenging and enjoyable mix of equipment for children of all ages and abilities. Along with the traditional favourites of swings and see-saws, there are two split-level play towers designed for toddlers and juniors, a challenging 4.1m high mizzenmast climbing net, buddy board rocker and giant rope swing designed for groups of children to use together.

03/09/2019 - Exciting new play area is up and running. The play area in Pinhoe Station Road has benefited from a £110k makeover funded by developer contributions from a nearby housing development. ​The facility was rebuilt after locals were asked what sort of play equipment they would like to see introduced.

27/08/2019 - Make Exeter bloom brighter by backing wildflower scheme. Devon Wildlife Trust has launched a Blooming Wild Devon Crowdfunder scheme to create more wildflower meadows across the county. In Exeter the Trust are joining up with the City Council to further enhance the displays of wildflowers that have been bursting with colour on roadside verges, roundabouts and open spaces.

16/08/2019 - Play park at King George V Playing Field has been reopened. The play area at King George V Playing Field was recently closed following an unauthorised encampment at the site. The encampment ended last week and a major clean-up of the area was quickly completed by council staff.

14/08/2019 - Rare European Swallowtail butterfly spotted in Exeter park. A beautiful European Swallowtail butterfly was recently spotted and photographed by a council worker in Rougemont Gardens. Andrew Thomas spotted the butterfly on a Mulberry tree.

13/08/2019 - Play area at King George V Playing Field remains closed. The play area at King George V Playing Field was closed after an unauthorised encampment at the site. But on inspection a number of items at the play area were identified as being in need of repair, including a damaged gate at the entrance.

08/08/2019 - Clean up operation underway after encampment at city playing field ends. Council staff are clearing up mess left at a city playing field after an unauthorised encampment ended early on Thursday morning. Police attended King George V Playing Field in Countess Wear at around 7am to assist in the eviction of a group who had occupied part of the site with around 10 vehicles since the end of last week.

07/08/2019 - Attempts to evict an unauthorised encampment at playing field continue. A children's play park remains closed while the council continues its efforts to evict those taking part in an unauthorised encampment at King George V Playing Field at Countess Wear.

05/08/2019 - Unauthorised encampment at city playing fields. ​Legal proceedings are underway to evict a group taking part in an unauthorised encampment at playing fields in Exeter.  

17/07/2019 - Leader to reconsider sale of land at back of former sports centre. The leader of the council is calling for green open space behind the former Clifton Hill Sports Centre to be saved from redevelopment. Cllr Phil Bialyk is reviewing the decision to sell the green space destined for housing at the back of centre. 

12/07/2019 - New Riverside sculptures to provide habitat for insects. Striking new wooden sculptures inspired by the insect world have started to land on the banks of the River Exe in Exeter. The sculptures have been made from Cornish oak by local sculptor James Bond who grew up close to the River Exe. 

01/07/2019 - No plans to sell land at Bull Meadow Park, Council reveals. A proposal to sell part of a city park to create access for vehicles at a proposed new housing development is set to be ruled out by the City Council.

28/06/2019 - Future of Valley Parks assured as wildlife trust take over their management. In a partnership that safeguards the Parks for years to come, the City Council has passed over the everyday management of the six green spaces to the charity, Devon Wildlife Trust. 

25/06/2019 - New play area refurbishment gets underway. ​The new play area has been designed to provide a challenging and enjoyable mix of equipment for children of all ages and abilities.  Along with the traditional favourites of swings and see-saws, there will be two split-level play towers designed for toddlers and juniors, a challenging 4.1m high mizzenmast climbing net, buddy board rocker and giant rope swing designed for groups of children to use together. 

19/06/2019 - Go wild in the city as Exeter breaks out in colourful display. Wild flower seed has been sown alongside roadsides, in parks, on roundabout and in key gateways to the city. Many of the sites now self-generate, meaning they don’t need to be sown every year.

18/06/2019 - Mapping the city's trees. Volunteers are being sought to help map Exeter’s tree canopy. Volunteers who get involved with the project will be given full training and equipment to go about their task of mapping the city’s tree canopy.

11/06/2019 - Station Road Play Area set for £110k makeover. Work has started on the £110k refurbishment of a play area in Exeter. Work is hoped to be completed by the summer holidays but is weather dependent.

03/06/2019 - No plans to sell or build on Exeter’s Northbrook golf course. Exeter’s new Council Leader has confirmed there are no plans to sell or build on a popular open green space close to the city centre. The future of Northbrook Approach Golf Course, off Topsham Road, was raised in the council’s recent Draft Built Facilities report.

30/05/2019 - Park Yoga at Heavitree. Park Yoga comes to the brand new location of Heavitree Pleasure Ground this June. Following the success of Park Yoga in various locations across the South West over the last 2 years, organisers have decided to expand and open a new location in Exeter.

28/05/2019 - Attack on trees angers councillor. Four lime trees and a pine at the area of open space in Well Oak Park near the Royal Exeter & Devon Hospital, were deliberately stripped of bark using a handsaw and hatchet.

17/05/2019 - Splashdown! Fun Water Parks Open. The Splash Pad at St Thomas Pleasure Ground opened today and the paddling pools at Heavitree Pleasure Ground will be open tomorrow (Saturday) and will stay open for the summer. All that’s needed now is a good spell of sunny weather like last summer, when thousands of youngsters had a splashing good time.

24/04/2019 - Have your say on play facilities in Exeter. People in Exeter are being given an opportunity to have their say on play parks around the city. The City Council is holding a number of listening events in communities around Exeter next week and is keen for as many people as possible to turn up and have their say.

19/04/2019 - Get set for family fun as Exeter Festival unveils its Funday in the Park. Exeter Festival Funday in the Park is to feature a day of entertainment and activity for all the family in Northernhay Gardens. ​From 12pm to 4pm, there will be a free four-hour programme of demonstrations on the stage, delivered by Legacy Leisure and dance company Capoeira Libertacao. There’s no need to book – just turn up and enjoy the fun.

01/04/2019 - Skate Jam set for Saturday. Skatepark users will be out in force on Saturday as Exeter’s newest facility – Exeter Arena Skatepark – holds an Opening Jam event. The event will feature music, pro-rider demonstrations and competitions for all ages and abilities - scoot, skate and BMX – with lots of great prizes and giveaways.

12/03/2019 - Tree felled in Pinces Gardens after becoming dangerous. A large Lawson Cypress tree in Pinces Gardens, St Thomas, has had to be felled after it became a high risk to public safety and property. Tree officers became concerned when they saw the roots of the tree lifting the ground around it during high winds.

20/02/2019 - Have your say on new play park equipment for Pinhoe. People are being invited to have their say on exciting new plans to upgrade play equipment at Pinhoe Station Road. Plans for the Play Area include new swings, roundabouts, slides and other equipment, as well as new seating and bike racks.

12/02/2019 - Wild flowers set to bloom again in Exeter. ​Wild flowers are set to bloom across Exeter again this summer as the City Council confirmed its commitment to the Wild City project, working alongside Devon Wildlife Trust to keep our roadside verges and roundabouts looking pretty and helping save our threatened insect population.

12/02/2019 - Expanding Exeter's Green Lungs. Exeter’s much-loved green spaces have increased in size over recent months, with the City Council buying up 13 acres of privately owned land for the people of Exeter to enjoy for recreational purposes.

01/02/2019 - Play park equipment bonus for Exeter. Youngsters in Exeter are set to get an unexpected bonus of new play park equipment, Exeter City Council has announced. The play equipment will be installed at 11 sites across the city over the coming months. The fun gear will suit a range of ages from toddlers through to young teens.

14/01/2019 - Ten thousand trees planted in Exeter since the year 2000. More than 10,000 trees have been planted in Exeter since the year 2000, the City Council has revealed. Many of the trees were planted across the city as part of the Council’s Urban Woodland project but others have been introduced into parks and open spaces over the years.

11/12/2018 - Vandalised tree replaced in St Thomas. A flowering cherry tree has been planted by the Lord Mayor of Exeter to replace a previous tree that was vandalised. The hybrid accolade flowering cherry was planted by the Lord Mayor, Cllr Rob Hannaford, at Sanford Place in St Thomas. In the spring it will produce pink cherry blossom.

10/12/2018 - Skaters in Exeter get early Christmas present. The new facility at Arena Park was opened today (Monday 10 December) by Exeter City Council. It contains ramps, quarterpipes, flatbanks, ledges and rails. The plaza style design also features a viewing/seating area overlooking all the action.

07/12/2018 - Damaged Norway maple tree to be felled as it represents a danger to public. A mature tree off Beacon Lane will regrettably have to be felled, the City Council has announced, after an inspection revealed that the tree represents a potential danger to the public. Two trees will be planted at the site as a replacement for the loss.

28/11/2018 - Oak trees planted in memory of Joan and David Morrish. Oak trees have been planted in memory of two former long-standing Exeter City Councillors. The City Council wanted to provide a lasting and living memory of the couple by planting a pair of oak trees in Heavitree Pleasure Ground, a park they were very familiar with, which is situated within David’s former ward.

28/11/2018 - Vision for city centre redevelopment backed. A new vision for a £300m redevelopment in Exeter city centre has been backed by councillors. Members of the City Council’s Leisure Complex and Bus Station Programme Board approved the vision for the redevelopment at the bus station site.

14/11/2018 - Public safety a top priority when assessing damaged trees. ​The tree was damaged in a recent storm and closer inspection has revealed numerous areas of scarring and decay over the years. The main stem and primary branch framework that supports the crown is extensively decayed. ​The Council was responding to calls for a mature oak situated next to the tennis courts at Cowick Barton Playing Fields, not to be monolithed (cut back to six to eight metre stump). 

02/11/2018 - New Skate Park Progressing Well. Work is progressing on a new skate park for Exeter. The new facility at Arena Park is expected to be ready by Christmas. The design of the park has been chosen by a group of local pro skaters working to a design brief heavily influenced by the local skating community.

11/09/2018 - Serving up tennis for free in Exeter. People are being encouraged to play tennis for free on newly refurbished courts in Exeter. Special ‘turn up and play’ sessions have been organised on courts at Cowick Barton Playing Fields, with free tuition from a qualified coach thrown in for good measure.

10/09/2018 - New skate park work begins. Work has begun on a new skate park for Exeter. Diggers moved on to the site at Arena Park today and the new facility is expected to be ready by Christmas.