About Us
The planting of trees represents a celebration of life, and Ems Valley Memorial Arboretum aims to do this by planting up to 250 trees over the next few years to establish a place of remembrance. This will provide a tangible means of memorialising loved ones with a link to Emsworth and Westbourne, and in so doing it is hoped that it will become a place of calm and healing much valued by the community.
Situated on public land made available by Havant Borough Council at Hampshire Farm Meadows to the north of Emsworth, close to the border with Westbourne it will be an accessible resource for all.
A charitable trust has been set up to plan and fund the planting and ongoing management of a curated selection of trees to provide beautiful scenery throughout the year. These have been chosen after expert arboricultural research to suit the situation and potential changing climate, whilst providing interest and different aesthetic qualities.
In developing this project, the trustees, in association with Emsworth Tree Wardens, Friends of Hampshire Farm Meadows, Greening Westbourne and other volunteers, aim that the arboretum will increase tree cover, improve the local environment for wildlife, and provide educational opportunities, especially for children.
The first trees were planted in the autumn of the 2022, a significant year with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The arboretum forms part of the Queen’s Green Canopy to mark her Jubilee year. Major Timothy Peake CMG, our Patron, planted the first tree at a ceremony on November 12th 2022.