Westcountry housing association LiveWest - which looks after the Greenlands Estate in Tavistock - is asking asking members of the public to become ’tree guardians’ in a project to plant trees in community spaces.

The housing association is calling on its communities to identify suitable spaces on their land for planting and adopting trees and hopes to plant hundreds across the South West in the next year.

On the Greenlands Estate, resident Joe Moorat, and Jan Hall, chair and secretary of Greenlands Tenants and Residents Association respectively, have adopted apple trees planted in LiveWest’s Plym Crescent play area, in the pilot project for the scheme.

Ali Sedgewick from Tavistock Gardening Group helped choose and obtain the Tamar Valley varieties, with funding from the West Devon borough councillors representing Tavistock.

She said: ’It is part of a long-term project, creating edible playgrounds for food and shade.

’Our Tavistock playgrounds are mostly devoid of shade. By making the trees productive, it’s a win-win for the environment and our children.’