What happens when volunteers give 475 hours of their time?

Hardworking CPRE London volunteers have planted 834 trees in five different London sites over the last six months.

Their work has transformed formerly unloved places in their communities.

Better yet, those new trees will capture around 208 tonnes of carbon over their lifetimes, according to the Woodland Trust.^[1]

Alongside the trees, wildflower seeds, climbing plants and herb patches have been sown, and green roofs, planters and seats built.

In East London, the green-fingered locals are growing local food and socialising in a former laundry yard in a council housing estate, called the UP Garden. On top of a bike, scooter and buggy parking area there’s now a green roof covered in thyme and mint plants at the perfect height for easy harvesting.

In Penge, Bromley, in the under-utilised green space of Royston Field, 200 whips form a deep native hedgerow to help hide an ugly car park view and cocoon visitors in a greener space with a fantastic new habitat for wildlife.

Half a mile down the road, a strip of Alexandra Rec now has a near continuous hedgerow of around 175 metres linking an old woodland area at one end of the park with younger woodland at the other.

In Harrow, 60 metres of new hedgerow – including hawthorn, hazel, blackthorn, bird cherry, juneberry, wild cherry, spindle, crab apple and viburnum lantana – forms the boundary of the children’s playground and Bessborough cricket club.

There are plans to fill the gaps in Headstone Manor Park’s 300 year old hedgerows in November after the seasonal trim. Volunteers have committed to an impressive watering scheme three times a week.

Commuters in West Ham who use the Abbey Road DLR station now have the joy of walking past 40 new climbing flowering plants, growing from generous planters with seating. Eight new fruit trees and 12 new herb patches provide local food and attract more people to visit.

This Greener London pilot project has helped CPRE London recognise any challenges that may arise from such projects – such as bad weather delaying the some planting and finding some soil too shallow to support whips.

Over the next six months to February 2024, there will be support for local groups to recruit new volunteers to strengthen their work longer term.

^[1] According to the Woodland Trust, four trees will mitigate one tonne of CO2 in its 100 year lifetime.