Information for policy makers

Tree and woodland creation strategies

Pulling together a Trees and Woodland Creation Strategy has been required by all local authorities since 2023. These are vital for driving action on accelerating treescape creation at this critical point in the climate and nature crises.  If you have been charged with this task:

• We encourage  setting realistic but stretching targets around tree-planting / tree canopy growth. Find out more about targets and track record in boroughs near you. See link here.  Please do update us by emailing woodlandcreation@cprelondon.org.uk if there have been any updates on the information for your area.

• Effective action can also be driven by highlighting specific treescape creation opportunity sites.  This includes sites nominated by local people  based on local and sites based on secondary data with strong key indicators of suitability for woodland creation with a shortlist of the best sites by strength of the indicators and largest scale. We have been collating details of sites at borough by bourough level.  To request list for your area email: woodlandcreation@cprelondon.org.uk

• Strategies should be linked to the London Urban Forest Plan, updated in Jan 2025 with input from most of the organisations involved with trees in the capital. Updated actions can be found here.

• The London Nature Recovery Strategy is not yet published but early meetings on this suggest increasing connectivity of habitat to boost the resilience of nature to climate change is going to be strongly emphasised in this.

• A Trees and Woodland Strategy Toolkit has been published by the Tree Council  here.