Developing a tree strategy

Trees play a crucial role in a city’s green infrastructure, but many trees are uprooted each year.

Capel Manor College

They absorb particulate pollution, reduce noise by acting as a sound barrier, improve physical and emotional well being and can add economic value to areas.

Action should be taken at a national level to debate and champion the planting of large canopied trees in urban areas because of the shade they provide. This will need to be tied into debates about subsidence and risk management. Trees are often blamed for building subsidence. Climate change is unlikely to change the spatial extent of damage from this hazard but the intensity and frequency of cases may increase. Given the value of trees within the green infrastructure system, solutions need to be found and could include:

• maintaining and pruning trees appropriately
• not building on highly vulnerable soils
• ensuring that buildings on vulnerable soils have adequate foundations to allow for trees within their proximity.

The London Tree Officers Association has produced a risk limitation strategy for tree root claims.

At the city level urban trees moderate the urban heat island and contribute to biodiversity. Trees play a significant role in providing shade, both within the public realm and to individual buildings.

A city-wide strategy can review all urban trees, as an important component of green infrastructure, and draw out issues and opportunities for their management. Such a strategy would form an important steer for the Local Development Framework as part of its evidence base.

A report for Communities and Local Government, Trees in Towns II, calls for a comprehensive tree strategy as the starting point for a modern, planned approach to tree management. This needs to be integrated and embedded into local development frameworks and other relevant policies. The London Tree and Woodland Framework is an example of a successful tree and woodland strategy which has been integrated into local policy and attracted funding for active tree management at a strategic level.

Trees are also a source of products that can be used elsewhere in urban areas. Sefton Council has a dedicated workshop, working with adults with learning difficulties, which uses timber from its woodland and urban tree management activities to make products such as benches, signposts and rubbish bins. These products are then used within its parks and countryside areas. This not only saves the council money but reduces emissions from transportation.

At a site level, existing trees should be protected and overall tree cover should be increased. Street trees should form an important component of sites and will need to be managed in the long term.

Priority: integrate green infrastructure into urban areas
Tags: green infrastructure, national level, cities and towns