London,
15
March
2018
|
12:32
Europe/London

Hundreds of new trees for Hackney's parks

Council staff, contractors and volunteers have been busy planting trees across 22 parks since January, and are on target to plant 229 new trees by the end of March.

Last Friday 9 March, Mayor Philip Glanville and Councillor Feryal Demirci took part, planting a new cedar tree at Springfield Park – one of 24 new trees being planted there.

Clissold Park, Mabley Green, Hackney Downs, Haggerston Park and Shoreditch Park are amongst other sites receiving a variety of trees. The planting includes native trees such as English oak, common beech and hornbeam, which are particularly beneficial for urban wildlife, as well as selected non-native trees such as walnut, Japanese elm and swamp cypress. The council’s Arboricultural officers view this increased diversity as important, making the borough’s trees more able to cope with climate change and the arrival of new pests and diseases.

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Parks
We are fortunate in Hackney to have so many wonderful mature trees in our parks, many of which were planted a hundred years ago or more. This is our opportunity to do something for future generations, so they can enjoy our green, beautiful parks for decades and centuries to come.
Cllr Feryal Demirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Parks

The planting was supported by the Mayor of London’s Community Tree Planting Grants scheme, which provided £47,205 towards the cost of the project.