Volunteers help plant crab apple trees on the cycle route in Southwark
The tree planting charity Trees for Cities has been working in Southwark this month to plant over a thousand fruiting hedges and trees along the Green Dale cycle route.
The Green Dale route runs from East Dulwich Grove to Denmark Hill and is a popular commuter cycle path, as part of the London Cycle Network route 23 from East Croydon to the City of London.
At the southern end of the half-kilometre stretch, semi-mature crab apple trees of six to ten feet have been planted. They are set against the large trees already in place, and act as a pollinating tree for the edible hedge. The new fruiting borders will provide cyclists with blossom in the spring and golden-coloured fruits on summer evenings and throughout the autumn for cyclists returning from the city.
Students from James Allen's Girls' School, local councillors and volunteers have helped plant crab apple trees, sloe hedges, blackberries and rose hips along the verges of the path.
More than a million Londoners own bikes, which they take on half a million journeys in the capital every day. A more environmentally friendly alternative to driving and some forms of public transport, the bicycle is also quicker for the majority of urban journeys and improves the rider’s health and wellbeing.
This is the third cycle path project Trees for Cities has undertaken, after projects in Leeds and Bristol to make routes into the cities greener and more attractive. The charity has planted more than 140,000 trees worldwide on streets, in parks, local woodlands and community projects. It also works with urban communities to protect trees through volunteer projects including the Ancient Tree Hunt in London (www.ancienttreehunt.org.uk)
The new trees are funded by Southwark Council’s Grow Nuts campaign, and the Forestry Commission’s London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme, delivered by Groundwork London.
Sharon Johnson, Chief Executive, said: “Rather than people feeling worried that they should be exercising more, we believe that one of the benefits of safe, green cities is that the inclination to exercise comes naturally.
“Our research has shown that walking or cycling to school or work is much more likely to be done when the route takes you through tree-lined streets or parks.
“We’ve been proud to be planting trees across the country, through individual donations and tree planting schemes, so that residents can enjoy their benefits for hundreds of years to come.”
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
