From one tree photo to a grove - the story of #TreeClub

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In the stillness of April 2020, as the UK entered its first Covid-19 lockdown, the world slowed. Streets emptied, doors stayed shut, and for many, time stretched out into an uneasy quiet. But in one corner of the country, something quietly beautiful was taking root. 

“I was lucky,” says the founder of what would become known as TreeClub.  “I had the woods. I could walk, breathe, think. It felt like a different world — calmer, untouched by everything else.” 

One rainy afternoon, sheltering under a tree with his dog, he sent a photo to his girlfriend along with the message, “I am here with the dog.” That small, thoughtful moment sparked something bigger. 

He posted the picture on Twitter (now X), under his handle of @WoodlandNomad, promising to share a tree photo every day for the two weeks of lockdown — a simple gesture to bring the outdoors to those who couldn’t leave home. Within days, others joined in, adding their own photos and using the hashtag #TreeClub. An online community was born. 

What began as a two-week idea has become a five-year tradition. A daily ritual, a quiet celebration of trees and the people who love them. The concept was simple: anyone could post a photo, and one was chosen each day as Tree of the Day — not for photographic brilliance, but for the story, the meaning, or the moment it captures. 

“It was never a competition,” he explained. “The winning trees were often the ones with a memory behind them — a walk with a friend, a reminder of home, or a way of coping.” 

As the community grew, so did its impact. One member, Sophie, had the idea of creating tree-shaped pin badges to raise money for woodland and nature charities. The response was overwhelming, with over 400 badges sold, and more than £1,000 donated. Patches, T-shirts, and even a specially engraved whisky glass followed. 

“It stopped being just photos. It became friendships,” he reflects. “People supported each other through lockdowns, celebrated each other’s wins, and shared views from all over the world.” 

But Sophie had another idea — a bigger one. In 2022, she suggested crowdfunding for a grove, a real woodland, planted in honour of the community that had come together online.  

In 2024, with the support of the National Forest, just twenty hours after launching the crowdfunder via @treeclubwood on X, 200 trees had been sponsored and the grove became a reality. 

On a bright spring day, just after the fifth anniversary of lockdown, the final trees were planted by the founder, his girlfriend, and Sophie — a moment of gratitude for everything that had grown from a simple idea. 

A few weeks later, people from across the UK — and even as far afield as Canada — gathered at the grove for a celebration picnic. Many had never met in person before. But they shared something deep-rooted in a love of trees, of kindness, of finding connection even in the hardest of times. 

“From a photo in the woods to an actual woodland. It’s more than I ever imagined,” he said. 

The #TreeClub grove stands today as a living legacy — a tribute to the quiet power of nature, and to the community that blossomed beneath its branches. 

Inspired by the #TreeClub grove? You too can plant your own grove in the National Forest and help create a lasting natural legacy. Explore how to dedicate a grove, support tree planting, and get involved with this unique project.