Future-proofing the city with trees

Nottingham City Council recently announced plans to plant 50,000 trees by 2023, with the aim to help soak up pollution, increase biodiversity and lower the temperature of the city. Government Business looks at the plan and how other areas could implement similar

Nottingham is already one of the greenest cities in the UK, with a quarter of the city made up of parks and open spaces. The city boasts over 400 hectares of natural and semi-natural open spaces such as nature reserves, woodland and river corridors.
    
Nottingham City Council is responsible for around 100,000 individual trees and 100 hectares of woods, as well as many parks. Nottingham can claim more ‘Green Flag’ parks than anywhere else outside London – meaning the parks meet the highest possible environmental standards.

50,000 trees
The council recently announced a plan to plant 50,000 trees in the city by 2023. They say this will help soak up pollution, increase biodiversity and lower temperatures.
    
With the average fully grown tree absorbing around 21kg of CO2 per year, and over a lifetime of 100 years, around one tonne of C02, tree planting is a great way to reduce C02 in the atmosphere.
    
Trees also provide other benefits such as shade in extreme temperatures, like we recently experienced. They also intercept rainfall and reduce flooding and soil erosion. This is part of the city’s plan to become more resilient to current and future extreme weather events.
    
By planting the trees, the council also aims to increase biodiversity in the area - an oak tree can support 2,300 different species such as birds, insects, fungi, lichens and mammals. Planting trees between green spaces can create linking corridors and stepping stones for wildlife.

Health benefits
The importance of green spaces and nature was highlighted by the pandemic. Being surrounded by nature has positive implications for mental and physical health. The provision of green spaces encourages residents to go outside more and spend more time exercising.
    
It is hoped the trees will lower the temperature of the city. Urban trees are known to have a cooling effect. As well as providing shade, they release a water vapour which reflects more solar radiation and stores less energy than artificial surfaces like tarmac and concrete. Urban areas are known to generate, trap and store heat, making towns and cities warmer than less built-up areas. This can be dangerous for vulnerable groups including children and the elderly, as well as pets and wildlife.
    
During the 2021/22 tree planting season, Nottingham Green Guardians and their partners planted over 10,000 trees, including five Miyawaki-style forests in urban areas. The council is urging people to get involved with the second Big Tree Giveaway being launched in September.

Urban greenery
Trees will also be planted in the city’s streets and neighbourhoods, not just in already existing green spaces. Trees will be planted across the city as part of the government’s Streets for people campaign. The council also plans to transform the streets around the Broad Marsh area, with a “green heart” as the centre piece of the former shopping centre site. The intention is to create a green space which is rich in wildlife.
    
Tree planting is also a relatively budget-friendly greening initiative, with the scheme partly carried out by volunteers and the preparation and future maintenance costs quite low compared to other schemes.
    
Although not the most important factor, the trees will add to the appearance of an already-green city and hopefully encourage more visitors to the famous Sherwood Forest or Wollaton Hall.
    
Cllr Sally Longford, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Energy & Waste, said: “Trees are the green lungs of our city and it’s vitally important we protect what we have but also plant even more, which is why our pledge for 50,000 more trees by 2023 is so very important.
    
“This is to not only help remove CO2 from the atmosphere and make our city more resilient to the effects of climate change, but also bring joy and pleasure from being around such amazing and beautiful natural wonders. We saw how important our parks and open spaces became during the pandemic to help people with their physical and mental health. I’d like to say thanks to everyone who has already got involved in tree planting and I hope more will take part in the next Big Tree Giveaway. After all, Nottingham is famous for Sherwood Forest, so the more trees, the merrier!”
    
The benefits of the scheme are clear, with reduced CO2 in the air and reduced temperatures. The effect on soil erosion and reducing the impact of flooding is very important with extreme weather conditions only expected to become more frequent in the future. The scheme will have a positive impact on the carbon emissions and environment of the city, whilst at the same time helping to improve the mental and physical health of the population. The scheme is a low-cost way to improve the appearance of the city and provide numerous benefits for the residents and local wildlife. It is hoped that other towns and cities will take Nottingham’s lead and start implementing similar schemes.