Street trees help make neighbourhoods safer and healthier
Local councillors and school children will be joining Trees for Cities at a street tree plantings in Cold Harbour and Rush Common on 1 and 3 March as part of a 175-tree programme of plantings for the area.
London planes, cherries and ornamental pear trees will be planted as Forestry Commission’s London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme and the Mayor’s Street Tree programme, delivered by Groundwork, and the London Borough of Lambeth.
The Mayor of London’s street tree programme has identified priority areas across all London Boroughs desperately in need of street trees. A street tree can transform a local landscape, adding colour and texture throughout the year, providing new habitats for wildlife and improving the general street environment for all by providing shelter and shade.
One of Trees for Cities’ driving forces is a commitment to raising awareness of the importance of street trees. As vital community spaces, it is important that streets look inviting to encourage their use, to ensure healthier, safer and happier neighbourhoods. Projects are ongoing across the country to make cities greener and less threatening with the addition of trees and green spaces.
In London, a group made up of charities, the Greater London Authority and local authorities determined the priority areas for the mayoral election in 2008, so that each would receive around 100 to 400 trees each over the next four years. This neighbourhood in Rushcommon was one area selected in the borough of Lambeth.
Trees for Cities consulted over 130 local residents, and took space and architecture on streets into account, in order to deliver suitable, safe trees that will grace the roads for hundreds of years to come.
The charity has planted more than 140,000 trees worldwide on streets, in parks, local woodlands and community projects, and works on volunteer projects like the Ancient Tree Hunt.
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Location:
1) Monday 1 March 2010 at 11am
Outside 10 Claribel Road, Coldharbour
2) Wednesday 3 March 2010 at 11am
Outside 28 Dumbarton Road, Rush Common
For further information or to confirm your attendance at either event, please contact Stephen Gray, stephen.gray@
Notes to Editors
Trees for Cities is an independent charity which plants trees and landscapes public spaces in urban areas. The charity’s vision is to stimulate a greening renaissance in cities around the world that will impact on global warming and beautify the urban landscape, as well as encouraging greater social cohesion through the active participation of local people. A special effort is made to involve children and young people in all of the projects. The public can get involved by sponsoring trees, registering as a volunteer, enrolling in training programmes, taking part in the annual Tree-Athlon and going to fundraising parties – see www.treesforcities.org for more information.
The Forestry Commission's Community Grant Scheme offers grants to Primary Care Trusts, local authorities, community groups, businesses, and woodland owners and managers, who want to improve their local treescape within London.Grants are awarded to projects across a wide variety of categories including those that aim to improve biodiversity, improve health and well being, engage the community, regenerate local areas, carry out tree and woodland management and a number of other areas. Grants tend to be for between £500 and £5,000. For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
