Why are so many newly planted trees in the UK failing to survive, and are we doing enough to help our existing trees cope with a changing climate?

In this episode of Trees in a Pod, I’m joined by arboricultural consultant Neil Davies for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with water and tree establishment, but takes us into some much bigger questions about the future of our trees.

Neil explains why planting a tree and successfully establishing a tree are two very different things. We discuss watering, drought, increasingly hot summers, the pressures facing mature, ancient and veteran trees, and whether our approach to planting and development needs to change.

We also explore what happens when trees, people and property have to coexist, why replacing a mature tree with several young trees isn't necessarily an equivalent exchange, and the extraordinary complexity of the ecosystems that develop around established trees.

And, from a Tree Law perspective, we finish with a fascinating question: could we eventually reach a point where trees have legal rights of their own?

A thought-provoking conversation about how we value trees, how we care for them, and what their future might look like in a changing climate.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

The original Bramley apple tree is one of Britain's most important living landmarks.

Every Bramley apple grown around the world today can trace its origins back to this single tree in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Yet despite its extraordinary history and cultural significance, its future has recently been at the centre of a passionate campaign.

In this episode, I sit down with artist and environmental campaigner Dan Llywelyn Hall, who became closely involved in the effort to protect the original Bramley apple tree and raise awareness of its importance.

We discuss the remarkable history of the tree, why it matters far beyond horticulture, the campaign to save it, and what its story tells us about how we protect the UK's most important heritage trees.

We also explore Tree Preservation Orders, conservation areas, public access to historic trees, and whether our current legal protections are enough to safeguard these irreplaceable living landmarks for future generations.

If you've ever wondered why some trees become part of our national identity, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

In this episode of Trees in a Pod, I’m joined by Mandy Keech and Clegg Gifford from Lantra - the organisation behind many of the UK’s land-based training standards. We talk about what it really means to be “competent” in arboriculture, why training isn't just a box-ticking exercise, and how Lantra is working to create more inclusive, accessible pathways into the tree industry.

Mandy shares her experience in curriculum development and the importance of supporting learners from all walks of life, while Clegg reflects on how vital it is to balance skills, safety and sustainability in fast-changing landscapes.

If you've ever wondered who decides what “qualified” looks like in our sector - or how we make space for the next generation of tree professionals - this conversation is for you.

🎧 Plus: why a chainsaw ticket is more than just a card, how mental health fits into competency frameworks, and what Lantra’s vision is for the future of environmental training.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr Tim Farewell, Director of MapleSky Environment and Infrastructure, to explore the invisible forces beneath our feet. We dig into the science of subsidence, the role of clay soils, and how climate change is reshaping risk across the UK.

We also talk about infrastructure resilience, insurance models, public perception, and the complex relationship between trees, property and heat. From the rise of wildfires to the limits of AI in subsidence cases, this episode brings together law, data and lived experience.

If you’ve ever wondered how a tree might be saving your street or cracking your foundations, this one’s for you.

Useful Links
• The Response of Three Soils to Water (YouTube Video) – A simple, visual explanation of how different soils shrink and swell with moisture, featuring Tim and his daughter.

• MapleSky Environment & Infrastructure – Learn more about Tim Farewell’s work in subsidence modelling, infrastructure resilience and environmental data.

• Extreme Heat and Mortality in Europe (Nature Medicine) – A research article exploring the health impacts of rising temperatures across Europe.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

In this episode of Trees in a Pod, I’m joined by Adam Cormack from the Woodland Trust. Together, we unpack the Whitewebbs Oak felling, the story behind the Haringey Plane, and why certain trees strike such a deep emotional chord with the public.

We explore legal grey areas, the limits of tree protection tools like TPOs, and the urgent need for stronger policy. Adam also shares insights into “tree equity,” why ancient trees fall through the cracks of our current systems, and how high-profile cases like Sycamore Gap are reshaping the legal and cultural landscape.

This is a reflective, in-depth conversation that blends law, lived experience, and the quiet power of trees to mirror our values back to us.

Useful links from todays episode :

Valuing and Protecting Important Trees Outside Woodlands - The Tree Council

Perfect Specimen | Criminal

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

In this episode of Trees in a Pod, I speak with Emma Cockshott, co-director of Treetops Devegetation Services in Lancashire. Emma shares her journey from banking into arboriculture, giving us an honest and practical insight into what life is like running a busy vegetation management business in the North West.

We talk about common client concerns, the reality of ash dieback, how councils differ in managing protected trees, and what it was like handling hundreds of emergency calls during a summer storm. Emma also lifts the lid on how timber gets reused locally and why attracting more women into the industry remains a challenge.

If you're curious about what tree work really looks like on the ground, this one is for you. Thoughtful, grounded and full of lived experience.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

Episode 1: The Sycamore Gap Trial - A Turning Point for Tree Law

In this solo debut, Sarah Dodd, founder of Tree Law, unpacks the Sycamore Gap trial: the events, the courtroom drama, and what it all means for the future of tree protection in the UK. 

With unique behind-the-scenes detail and legal context, Sarah explores how this high-profile case turned the felling of a single tree into international news. 

She also shares her take on tree valuation, possible sentencing outcomes, and what comes next. 

Essential listening for anyone who cares about trees, justice, or both.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.