London is one of the greenest cities in the world, making it a pleasant and attractive place to live and work. The Mayor, Sadiq Kahn, has pledged to increase the tree cover from twenty percent to twenty five percent, and he has provided £750,000 to plant trees and woodlands in London by the end of March 2017.
What is the London Plan for London’s trees?
The London Plan provides a policy framework which encourages the protection and maintenance of existing trees as well as the planting of new trees and woodlands. There are many wonderful trees and areas of woodland in places like the Boroughs of Wandsworth, Lambeth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton and Kingston as well as the towns of Battersea, Clapham, Chelsea, Balham, Fulham, Putney, Earlsfield, Southfields, Wimbledon, Kingston, Stockwell, Roehampton and Streatham. Elmbridge Borough which includes Esher, Claygate and Surbiton will also benefit from the London tree initiative.
How important are trees for urban regeneration schemes?
Trees are seen as an essential part of new developments and regeneration schemes. And the Tree and Design Action Group provides developers and architects with the evidence of the benefits of large canopy trees in the urban environment and advises on the best ways to incorporate trees into urban landscapes.
How is the tree population of London monitored?
There are over eight million trees in London and they are being carefully mapped. There are many potential benefits to the public sharing of tree data. It is hoped that visualising tree data and providing access to it in once place will help to raise the public profile of the important contribution of trees to our urban environment, and also provide operational benefits for tree managers. Sharing and standardising data could provide essential information for the strategic management of the urban forest. For example, it could help to assess species diversity and threats from pests and plant diseases across London, and also help identify areas for additional planting.
More about the London Tree Week event
In order to celebrate this wonderful legacy London Tree Week 2017 is taking place between Saturday 27 May and Sunday 4 June 2017! Come and celebrate London’s trees and woodlands with a week of special events. View the event listings and book your tickets through the London Tree Week 2017 event page.
There are more than fifty events including a series of talks organised by the Woodland Trust and a series of guided walks and tours in parks and woodlands. There’ll also be mindfulness, poetry, art and photography workshops, children’s activities and exhibitions at City Hall and Thames Chase Forest. Star attractions include a hiking haiku trail, ancient tree hunts and the Woodland Trust’s wonderful multi media yurt.
