We are now proud to be an approved Arboricultural Association Contractor

We are now proud to be an approved Arboricultural Association Contractor

We pride ourselves on efficient, safe and sustainable tree services

We pride ourselves on efficient, safe and sustainable tree services

Heritage tree services using an environmentally sound approach

Heritage tree services using an environmentally sound approach

We are a London tree company made up of local tree specialists

We are a London tree company made up of local tree specialists

We understand that every garden is unique

We understand that every garden is unique

Arboriculture for businesses and public spaces

Arboriculture for businesses and public spaces

Blog

Trees through the seasons

London’s urban forest

The capital’s urban forest is made up of over eight million individual trees, which are found across London’s streets, parks, gardens and open spaces. Collectively this forest provides the capital with a range of ecosystem benefits such as air quality improvement, pollution removal, water attenuation, carbon sequestration and temperature reduction. Together, these benefits and qualities help make up the green infrastructure of the city.

Other benefits of urban forests and open spaces with trees include oxygen production, increase in property values and flood protection. Trees also provide habitats for wildlife, food for animals and people and improvements to physical health and mental wellbeing.

London has 21% canopy cover and ranks second (behind Toronto) in a list that compares ecosystem services of the urban forests across Europe and North America.

In 2014 a large volunteer group was created to record the trees in London across 700+ sites – a project called i-Tree Eco. The project looked at the type of land (and its use), the number of trees and species and also the size and health of the trees.

In terms of species composition, sycamore (at 7.8%) is the most common species found across Greater London. English oak is second (7.3%), followed by birch (6.2%), hawthorn (6.2%), ash (4.5%), apple (3.9%) and cypress (3.6%). A healthy urban forest is one that is diverse in species and age range.

For a more in depth look at this topic, here’s a link to the report – Valuing London’s Urban Forest:
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/LONDONI-TREEECOREPORT151202.pdf/$FILE/LONDONI-TREEECOREPORT151202.pdf

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Phenology - studying the timing of natural events

Spring is upon us and with it comes the timely break of the trees’ dormant period.

Trees in the streets, parks and gardens, not least forgetting the wild woods, are now ablaze with an explosion of flowers.

From vibrant pinks through to paler shades, yellows and brilliant whites, all now attract the hum of bees and insects that disperse pollen between them.

You can almost watch the daily unfurling of blossoms on magnolias, cherries, almonds, blackthorn, pear, plums and pussy willow.

This spring appears to be a particularly good showing as we’ve had a relatively mild and wet winter.

After the flowers start to fade there then follows the procession of tree species starting to break bud as their leaves unfurl into full canopy.

First to show are usually the elder and then out comes the willow, hawthorn, horse chestnut, rowan, birch and beech.

Then, towards the end, oak and ask, which can switch their bud burst date year on year as shown with the well-known old wives tale: ‘Oak before ash we’ll have a splash, ash before oak we’re in for a soak.’

 

Here’s a link to a tree phenology website study: http://trackatree.bio.ed.ac.uk/

have a look to see how to get involved.

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