Local residents joined Trees for Cities and Tower Hamlets Council at street tree plantings in Stepney on 16 March to mark a programme of plantings for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
56 trees will be planted in the area as part of Trees for Cities and Tower Hamlets Council’s partnership to boost street trees in the borough.
The project is being jointly funded by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Trees for Cities, with contributions from Berkeley Homes and Bloomberg.
Trees for Cities is also planting in Tower Hamlets as part of the Mayor of London’s street tree programme and with Tower Hamlets Council’s Local Area Partnership, all of which combined have introduced more than two hundred new street trees so far this year.
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 and get people outside, and projects are ongoing across the country to make cities greener and less threatening.
On sites selected by the Council, Trees for Cities consulted local residents, taking space and architecture on streets into account, in order to deliver suitable trees that can grace the roads for hundreds of years to come.
Trees for Cities has planted more than 140,000 trees worldwide on streets, in parks, local woodlands and community projects. The charity also works with urban communities to protect trees through volunteer projects including the Ancient Tree Hunt in London (www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk)
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For further information, 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.
