Urban Trees
Street trees, trees in parks, gardens, school grounds and other urban greenspaces provide a whole host of benefits to people who live and work in urban areas. Urban trees improve:
our resilience to climate change by slowing the flow of water during heavy downpours and cooling our streets in heatwaves by shade and evaporation;
our journey to Net Zero by locking up carbon as they grow and reducing carbon emissions through the need for air conditioning;
our health and wellbeing by cleaning the air of particles and chemicals and allowing our minds to engage with nature;
our community by providing character and a sense of pride in our neighbourhoods which encourages investment and reduces anti-social behaviour;
our urban wildlife by providing food and shelter in the urban forest for birds, bats and many important insects like bees and other pollinators.
The extent of tree canopy (or area covered by the leaves of trees) in an urban neighbourhood is a useful gauge of the amount of benefits being delivered to the people who live and work there. The Clyde Climate Forest aims to increase urban tree canopy area across the urban parts of Glasgow City Region from its current level of 17% to an average of 20%. It is estimated that this will require an additional 1.5 million urban trees.
Everyone across the city can do something to help reach this target by identifying places for new trees, and by helping to fund and plant the trees. We’re particularly keen to involve local people in planting trees in 16 urban neighbourhoods that we have identified as having low levels of tree canopy cover.
You can also help us to protect and nurture trees in your local neighbourhood as we want the trees planted as part of the Clyde Climate Forest to reach their potential and provide the many benefits to people and wildlife which only mature trees can deliver.
Target Neighbourhoods
We have identified 16 'Target Neighbourhoods' across urban parts of Glasgow City Region which have low levels of existing tree canopy cover and are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. These neighbourhoods will be the focus for the Clyde Climate Forest's urban tree planting activities and we are keen to work with local people to 'plant the right trees in the right places'.
The adjacent map shows you:
the existing tree canopy across urban greater Glasgow
the percentage of tree canopy cover in urban parts of community council areas
the location of the Target Neighbourhoods.
If you live or work in any of these areas, and you are interested to help, please get in touch.
How you can help
Help plant trees
Help us identify opportunities for tree planting - If you are enthusiastic about trees and live in one of our target areas for tree planting, you can help us by finding sites where trees can be planted. These might be:
replacing lost street trees;
street side grass areas that could accommodate trees;
corners of a playing field or a park where a small wood might fit in.
Come to a tree planting event with your family and friends - We’re keen to involve local people in planting trees in neighbourhoods with low levels of tree cover, especially young people as they will gain most from seeing these trees grow and thrive in years to come.
Raise funds
Help us to find the funding required for new trees and their care – We need to buy trees for neighbourhoods with low tree cover and pay for their aftercare. You can:
organise a fundraising event;
get a local company to sponsor a tree planting scheme;
donate the cost of a tree, or several trees. Go to MyParkScotland to donate
Look after your local trees
Help us to protect and nurture trees in your local neighbourhood - We want the trees planted as part of the Clyde Climate Forest to reach their potential and provide the many benefits to people and wildlife which only mature trees can deliver. Sadly many urban trees have a short lifespan. You can help:
look after the new trees in your neighbourhood;
keep the base of the trees free of grass and weeds;
provide water to young trees in periods of drought - a bucket of water can make all the difference
Taking Action in Our Target Neighbourhoods
We plan to take action to see trees planted in at least four of our Target Neighbourhoods in the 2022/23 tree planting season (November to March):
Bellshill, North Lanarkshire;
Blantyre, South Lanarkshire;
Barrhead, East Renfrewshire;
Foxbar and Brediland, Renfrewshire.
Working with local people, local businesses, council officers and councillors we will agree planting proposals and look to raise sufficient funds to effectively plant trees and ensure their aftercare.
We have some funding in place from the Woodland Trust's 'Emergency Tree Fund' to pay for some trees in each neighbourhood but need to raise further funds to achieve our aims.
Case Studies
Case Study
Faifley Knowes Park, Clydebank
600 trees planted by TCV through OVO corporate sponsorship
Multiple benefits for local wildlife and people
Case Study
Seven Lochs Tiny Forest
A dense mix of 600 native trees planted as the first of many ‘tiny forests’
Part of Scotland’s largest urban nature park
Get Involved
Are you an community, business or landowner who wants to get involved?
Contact Us
If you have an enquiry about our project, contact us.