Thousands of new street trees for across London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that thousands of new street trees will be planted in 20 boroughs across the capital.

London has secured over £2 million from the Forestry Commission as part of the Government’s Urban Tree Challenge Fund, having received one fifth of the national fund to plant almost 7,000 street trees across the capital. London boroughs will plant and maintain the new trees.

Khan has matched funding from the Forestry Commission with over £1 million from the Mayor’s Greener City Fund, alongside £280,000 from the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone, and £1 million from participating boroughs. As a result of the funding, 2,898 trees will be planted in London by end of March 2020, and a further 4,040 trees will be planted next winter.

London’s trees are estimated to provide at least £133 million of benefits to Londoners every year. They help improve air quality by removing 2,241 tonnes of pollution annually, including harmful PM10 particulates and NO2 roadside emissions as well as making our streets more beautiful and encouraging walking and cycling.

Khan said: “I’m doing everything in my power to make London zero-carbon and one of the greenest, most sustainable cities in the world. London’s trees are the lungs of our city and they can make a real difference improving quality of life in local neighbourhoods.
 
“Simple steps like planting trees help us address the climate and ecological crisis. These additional street trees and improvements to green spaces are targeted in areas where they’re most needed. As the world’s first National Park City we will continue our bold action to preserve and increase tree coverage across London.”

The Mayor of London has also awarded £1.1 million to 54 community projects, in the third round of the Community Green Space Grants, part of his Greener City Fund to improve and create green spaces.