M25 for Nature – the capital’s tree ring for a greener London

Thanks to everyone who donated to our Big Give campaign to support our ‘M25 for trees’ encircling London. If you missed the deadline for matched giving, don’t worry, you can still give here,

To date, we’ve completed a map of the best route for the ring of trees, with the help of Green Space Information for Greater London. This covers existing woodland, the best opportunities for woodland creation, and the location of scattered trees.

Further funding will help us move to stage two: working along the route to spot large sites that have potential to be transformed. We’ll create a coordinated package of support for landowners and approach them with offers of help tailored to the specific site.  

CPRE London leads a steering group for the London Tree Ring of organisations involved in tree planting in the capital. For some sites our partners might buy land, or more often lease it, to run as community woodland.  

On smaller sites we’ll work with local volunteers and landowners, including local authorities, hospitals, schools or private landowners, to plan out support with planting plus ongoing care and watering needed to establish the trees.

In many cases land has multiple uses, but imaginative tree planting can complement other uses – trees near the edges of playing fields provide shady areas for supporters and post-match events on hot days, or orchards on the edges of allotments could harbour benches for post digging socialising!

The UK is already running behind the schedule of tree planting that’s needed to realise our climate goals. Our map shows the potential for many acres of new woodland in neglected and wildlife-starved areas, on the capital’s doorstep. 

If you would like to know more about the project please email woodlandcreation@cprelondon.org.uk. 

We are still urgently seeking funding for this work.  If you can help please click here

Transforming landscapes

The two images below from Forestry England demonstrate the impact that reforestation can have on entire landscapes. Taken from above Ingrebourne Hill in the Thames Chase Community Forest, a richer, more lush and wildlife-rich habitat can be seen in the more recent image.