Funded by £4million of previously announced savings, the final round of bidding has opened for London’s street tree grant.
The funds will allow boroughs and local groups to plant the final 500 street trees needed to meet the Mayor’s 2008 manifesto pledge to plant 10,000 new trees.
A £250,000 fund has also been established to voluntary and not-for-profit organisations to bid for funds to establish community-led projects such as tree nurseries, urban orchards and mass-tree planting events.
City Hall says bids of between £100,000 and the full £250,000 will be considered.
Mayor Boris Johnson has also secured £200,000 from the Forestry Commission to provide grants enabling projects working with schools and community groups to plant more trees. These grants form the latest phase of the Mayor’s RE:LEAF programme which is now in its third year.
In a statement the Mayor said: “Trees are a vital part of our city, providing shade, keeping our streets cooler and making our city much more attractive.
“I am pleased to announce our latest leafy campaign to increase both the number of trees in the capital, but also importantly to now cultivate an army of people volunteering to plant and care for them.”
Forestry Commission chair Pam Warhurst said the organisation was “delighted to be combining our Community Grant Scheme with the Mayor’s funding to maximise the opportunities for tree planting and woodland management in London.”
“Urban trees and woodlands are just as important as the forests we manage in the wider countryside because of the very many people they benefit.”
