Formation | 1993 |
---|---|
Legal status | Non-profit company and registered charity |
Purpose | Create greener cities |
Region served | UK, world |
Chief Executive | David J. Elliott |
Main organ | Board of Trustees |
Website | www.treesforcities.org |
Trees for Cities is a UK charity which aims to plant urban trees and create greener cities. [1] Since 1993, the organisation has reported that, with the help of volunteers, they have planted over 1,800,000 urban trees in parks, streets, woodlands, schools, hospitals and housing estates. The charity also runs the Edible Playgrounds programme, [2] which aims to inspire school children to grow and eat healthy food.
Trees for Cities was founded in 1993 by a group of four friends: Jake Kempston, Belinda Winder, Jane Bruton and Julian Blake. For the first five or so years, the charity raised funds through its well-known parties. The charity was initially called Trees for London [3] with the charitable objectives to "advance the education of the public in the appreciation of trees and their amenity value, and in furtherance of this the planting and protection of trees everywhere, and in particular inner city areas". [3] In 2003, the charity changed its name to Trees for Cities to reflect a growth in activities in cities across the UK and across the globe.
In 2009, Sharon Johnson replaced Graham Simmonds as Chief Executive. She was succeeded as Chief Executive by David J. Elliott in 2016, who was then succeeded by Kate Sheldon in 2023. [4]
The charity has a history of unusual office locations. Originally based on HMS Belfast, [5] the charity now operates from Prince Consort Lodge, a Grade II listed building located in Kennington Park, Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth, England. It also has offices in Whitacre Mews, Kennington, London.
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In addition to tree planting, the charity is involved in activities with schools and community groups and undertakes campaigning.
Trees for Cities' work focuses on planting trees and greening community spaces where the social and environmental impact on local people is greatest. By engaging volunteers and planting up to 100,000 urban trees worldwide each year, the organisation is building resilience against threats facing the natural environment. Planting a range of tree species in urban areas have multiple impacts and benefits to people and the environment such as improving physical and mental wellbeing, absorbing air pollutants, sequestering carbon, masking noise, preventing flooding etc.
The charity planted its millionth urban tree in 2019. [6]
In 2018, it played an active role in the campaign to stop the felling of Sheffield's street trees. [7]
Edible Playgrounds transform areas in school grounds into vibrant outdoor spaces that excite and teach children about growing and eating healthy food. By instilling healthy eating habits at an early age, Edible Playgrounds can help to tackle obesity, food poverty and lack of access to nature head on, as well as providing a platform for fun and engaging lessons that support the school curriculum. Independent research among participating schools shows that 72% of schools said that children were more likely to choose fruits over less healthy snacks while 94% of schools said that pupils had improved attitudes towards healthy living. [8] Trees for Cities has worked with 100 schools in 12 towns and cities to build bespoke edible gardens over the past 10 years. [9]
Planting Healthy Air in Schools has been developed to address London's poor air quality and the detrimental health effects this has on people, especially children. London's trees remove 2,241 tons of pollution per year, [10] making them a particularly effective barrier to the flow of toxic air. The charity is currently working in partnership with St Paul's CE Primary, named the second most polluted school in London, to enrich the grounds through tree planting and greening in order to enhance the natural environment and promote the use of the outdoor space for pupils.
The charity works with local organisations and community groups around the world to focus their tree planting projects on delivering long-term, practical solutions to green polluted city environments and provide local people with the skills and ability to secure sustainable livelihoods. Since 2006 they have planted over 200,000 trees in 16 cities in 13 countries – from Ica in Peru to Nairobi in Kenya and Pokhara in Nepal.
Trees for Cities has a number of high-profile patrons, including Jamie Oliver, Jon Snow and Richard Rogers. The charity was responsible for the Tree-athlon, a 5k annual fun run, [11] held in Leeds, Manchester and London. In Battersea Park on 18 September 2010, it set the world record for the largest ever barefoot race, with 278 participants completing a 100m grass circuit. [12] The charity sends out a monthly newsletter to its followers, titled Tree Times.
Trees for Cities has projects throughout Greater London, and has delivered projects in over 40 towns and cities across the UK. The charity's global reach has extended to Ica in Peru, La Paz in Bolivia, Nairobi in Kenya and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. [13]
Greenford is a large town in the London Borough of Ealing in West London, London, England, lying 11 miles (18 km) west from Charing Cross. It has a population of 46,787 inhabitants, or 62,126 with the inclusion of Perivale.
Kennington is a district in south London, England. It is mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, running along the boundary with the London Borough of Southwark, a boundary which can be discerned from the early medieval period between the Lambeth and St George's parishes of those boroughs respectively. It is located 1.4 miles (2.3 km) south of Charing Cross in Inner London and is identified as a local centre in the London Plan. It was a royal manor in the parish of St Mary, Lambeth in the county of Surrey and was the administrative centre of the parish from 1853. Proximity to central London was key to the development of the area as a residential suburb and it was incorporated into the metropolitan area of London in 1855.
Lambeth is a London borough in South London, England, which forms part of Inner London. Its name was recorded in 1062 as Lambehitha and in 1255 as Lambeth. The geographical centre of London is at Frazier Street near Lambeth North tube station, though nearby Charing Cross on the other side of the Thames in the City of Westminster is traditionally considered the centre of London.
Urban agriculture refers to various practices of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in urban areas. The term also applies to the area activities of animal husbandry, aquaculture, beekeeping, and horticulture in an urban context. Urban agriculture is distinguished from peri-urban agriculture, which takes place in rural areas at the edge of suburbs.
Urban forestry is the care and management of single trees and tree populations in urban settings for the purpose of improving the urban environment. Urban forestry involves both planning and management, including the programming of care and maintenance operations of the urban forest. Urban forestry advocates the role of trees as a critical part of the urban infrastructure. Urban foresters plant and maintain trees, support appropriate tree and forest preservation, conduct research and promote the many benefits trees provide. Urban forestry is practiced by municipal and commercial arborists, municipal and utility foresters, environmental policymakers, city planners, consultants, educators, researchers and community activists.
Kennington Park is a public park in Kennington, south London and lies between Kennington Park Road and St. Agnes Place. It was opened in 1854 on the site of what had been Kennington Common, where the Chartists gathered for their biggest "monster rally" on 10 April 1848. Soon after this demonstration the common was enclosed and, sponsored by the royal family, made into a public park.
CERES Community Environment Park is a 4.5-hectare (11-acre) not-for-profit environmental education centre and social enterprise hub located in urban Brunswick East, Victoria, Australia.
The London Borough of Ealing, one of the outer London boroughs although not on the periphery, has over 100 parks and open spaces within its boundaries. These include allotments, cemeteries, playgrounds, and golf courses in addition to the larger open spaces such as nature conservation areas.
An urban forest is a forest, or a collection of trees, that grow within a city, town or a suburb. In a wider sense, it may include any kind of woody plant vegetation growing in and around human settlements. As opposed to a forest park, whose ecosystems are also inherited from wilderness leftovers, urban forests often lack amenities like public bathrooms, paved paths, or sometimes clear borders which are distinct features of parks. Care and management of urban forests is called urban forestry. Urban forests can be privately and publicly owned. Some municipal forests may be located outside of the town or city to which they belong.
Plants For A Future (PFAF) is an online not for profit resource for those interested in edible and useful plants, with a focus on temperate regions. Named after the phrase "plans for a future" as wordplay, the organization's emphasis is on perennial plants.
Over the centuries the roles of rivers as part of the city has altered many times from the original use for the irrigating crops in nearby fields, as well as being an essential resource in establishing a permanent settlement. However, when the industrial revolution took place in the 19th century the role of the rivers in cities altered and it became a far more valuable resource as it allowed not only for the transportation of goods from town to town but also became the basis for the expansion and improvement of the trading prowess of the city. This transportation of goods was done through the construction of a canal network spreading across the country which tamed the rivers sufficiently and so therefore allowed for the movement of goods such as coal to move from place to place. Furthermore, after the advancement of the railway network which now took over most of the movement of goods throughout the country, this left the rivers and canals of Britain without a role in Britain’s transport network. This allowed areas of the canal and river networks to become polluted through chemical waste and public misuse, which caused difficulties for the animals for which the river and its surrounding wetlands and marshes were their natural habitats. Yet since the 1950s there has been a dramatic increase in the number of riverside developments which have not only brought increased money into the area but have also redeveloped and enhanced the natural environment and increased the aesthetic qualities of these areas on the whole.
Urban horticulture is the science and study of the growing plants in an urban environment. It focuses on the functional use of horticulture so as to maintain and improve the surrounding urban area. Urban horticulture has seen an increase in attention with the global trend of urbanization and works to study the harvest, aesthetic, architectural, recreational and psychological purposes and effects of plants in urban environments.
Discovery Green is an 11.78-acre (47,700 m2) public urban park in Downtown Houston, Texas, bounded by La Branch Street to the west, McKinney Street to the north, Avenida de las Americas to the east, and Lamar Street to the south. The park is adjacent to the George R. Brown Convention Center and Avenida Houston entertainment district. Discovery Green features a lake, bandstands and venues for public performances, two dog runs, a playground, and multiple recreational lawns.
Greening is the process of transforming living environments, and also artifacts such as a space, a lifestyle or a brand image, into a more environmentally friendly version. The act of greening generally involves incorporating more environmentally friendly systems into one's environment, such as the home, work place, and general lifestyle.
The Brixton murals are a series of murals by local artists in the Brixton area, in south London. Most of the murals were funded by Lambeth London Borough Council and the Greater London Council after the Brixton riots in 1981.
In land-use planning, urban green spaces are open-space areas reserved for parks and other "green spaces", including plant life, water features – also referred to as blue spaces – and other kinds of natural environment. Most urban open spaces are green spaces, but occasionally include other kinds of open areas. The landscape of urban open spaces can range from playing fields, to highly maintained environments, to relatively natural landscapes.
Tree Canada is a non-profit charitable organization that promotes the planting and nurturing of trees in Canada's urban and rural areas. It provides tree-related education, technical assistance and resources to communities, corporations, individuals and non-profit organizations.
The Greening of Detroit is a 501(c)(3) non-profit environmental organization whose mission is to inspire the sustainable growth of a healthy urban community through trees, green spaces, healthy living, education, training and job opportunities. The Greening serves communities in Detroit, Highland Park and Hamtramck, Michigan.
Foodscaping is a modern term for integrating edible plants into ornamental landscapes. It is also referred to as edible landscaping and has been described as a crossbreed between landscaping and farming. As an ideology, foodscaping aims to show that edible plants are not only consumable but can also be appreciated for their aesthetic qualities. Foodscaping spaces are seen as multi-functional landscapes that are visually attractive and also provide edible returns. Foodscaping is a method of providing fresh food affordably and sustainably.
A community orchard is a collection of fruit trees shared by communities and growing in publicly accessible areas such as public greenspaces, parks, schools, churchyards, allotments or, in the US, abandoned lots. Such orchards are a shared resource and not managed for personal or business profit. Income may be generated to sustain the orchard as a charity, community interest company, or other non-profit structure. What they have in common is that they are cared for by a community of people.