Trees clean our air, cool our towns, reduce flooding, store carbon and support wildlife. They shape the character of West Sussex and improve our health and wellbeing. Trees improve our quality of life with economic, social and environmental benefits.
West Sussex Tree Plan 2026 to 2030 (PDF, 4.5MB)The West Sussex Tree Plan sets out how the council will protect, maintain and expand treescapes across the county. It explains how we will work with partners and communities to create healthier, more resilient environments.
Our aims
Our aims are to:
- maintain the trees and woodlands we are responsible for
- protect trees and woodlands from development and other threats
- improve tree cover throughout the county
Challenges we face
The key challenges we see in the plan are:
- climate change, extreme weather and making sure our treescapes are resilient and adaptable
- pests and diseases, and measures to reduce future threats including:
- ash dieback
- deer populations
- squirrel damage
- development and land-use pressures affecting:
- ancient and veteran trees
- ancient woodland
- hedgerows
- urban forests
- uneven access to tree benefits - identifying areas of low canopy cover and improving tree equity in urban neighbourhoods
Our objectives
We have 5 objectives to deliver our aims and face these challenges. Over the next 5 years we will work to:
- have better data management and evidence-based decision-making
- establish and embed policies and processes
- manage the impacts of ash dieback and other tree pests and diseases
- identify opportunities for investment and income generation
- work with partners and support communities and individuals
The county council will use external funds and resources to deliver the tree plan where we can.