Garden Links

London - Request a Tree is Planted on Your Street

16th May 2009

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today expanded his street tree programme to 40 'tree-free' locations across London and launched a new website enabling Londoners to request a tree outside their own homes.

During his election, the Mayor promised to fund 10,000 street trees in areas where they will most help to improve people's quality of life. The first 1500 street trees are already being planted in 20 priority locations and the Mayor has today expanded the programme to cover 40 areas across 32 London boroughs.

The Mayor also wants to encourage the 500,000 people living in these priority areas who would like trees outside their house, to register their interest online at www.london.gov.uk/streettrees. This information will then be passed on to borough councils who, as a requirement for street tree funding applications, will be asked where practicable to plant their allocation of trees in areas where residents most want them. It is expected that 100-400 street trees will be planted in chosen locations across every priority area, so by registering online, residents will increase the chances of their streets getting some welcome greenery.

The Mayor's street tree programme is managed by the Forestry Commission, working in partnership with the environmental charity Groundwork, and is an expansion of their existing London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme.

The Mayor, Boris Johnson said: 'Street trees are an uplifting addition to our communities and I am determined to reverse their decline. There are now 40 locations across London which are set to benefit from brand new street trees. I am urging people in these priority areas to ask for a tree online, so we can help to plant trees where people most want them.'

Alan Titchmarsh, TV gardener and presenter, said: 'Trees are vital in making our communities more pleasant places to live, work and play as well as helping to sustain wildlife. It is great news that the Mayor of London has pledged 10,000 street trees helping people to reconnect with the joy of nature on their doorstep.'

Forestry Commission Chairman, Lord Clark, said: ‘I am very pleased the Forestry Commission is assisting with the Mayor's Street Tree Programme. Tree planting in cities has never been more needed and these trees will enhance the daily lives of the people of London in the places that most need them.’

London is a very green city compared to other world cities, but the Mayor's street tree and parks programmes are helping to make London greener, which benefits both Londoners' quality of life as well as helping tackle issues such as climate change. About 1.75 million Londoners live in areas that are further than 1km from an area of space containing nature and/or wildlife - this has been factor in choosing which areas are being given priority for street trees.

Detailed guidance on how to bid for funding - which is a separate process to registering interest in having a tree - from of the Mayor's tree programme is available from www.ltwgs.org. The second application round will open in June which will result in trees being planted from November this year to March 2010. Organisations applying for grants will be encouraged to involve the local people in planting, tending and looking after the street trees.

Street trees offer a range of benefits including attracting wildlife, providing shade, helping improve local air quality and reducing flood risk.

The Mayor's trees programme is being funded by efficiency measures which includes significant cost savings by the scrapping of the Londoner, a newspaper distributed to three million homes across Greater London by the previous administration.

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