Valuing London's Urban Forest
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VALUING LONDON’S URBAN FOREST Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project 2 Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project First published in 2015 by Treeconomics London © 2015. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record The urban forest of this book is available from the British Library is the ecosystem ISBN 978-0-9571371-1-0. containing all of The authors and publisher have made every effort to trace original the trees, plants copyright holders of material used in this book in order to obtain their permission. We would like to take this opportunity of making and associated acknowledgement to any copyright holder that we may have failed animals in the urban to contact. environment, both Printed on FSC accredited paper. in and around MIX Paper from the city Guidresp oOnsibnle sloyurces Sands 2005. C114687 Printed by Hill & Garwood Printing Limited. Designed by 22 Design Limited. Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project 3 Foreword Throughout my career as an The importance of trees in the urban environment is unquestionable but is often minimised and lost amongst the architect, master planner, and myriad of other competing factors involved in urban space government advisor I have been making, creation, management and maintenance. an advocate for urban trees. The importance of the natural I have been aware of i-Tree for a considerable time and have been interested in its potential to quantify the benefits of the urban environment, including trees, forest in meaningful terms. It provides a methodology whereby was one of the key elements trees can be valued and recognised as the asset they actually are. in the recent Farrell review of PLACE (planning, Landscape, In addition it provides the baseline information necessary for long term integrated and planned management of the urban forest. Architecture, Conservation and Engineering). I am aware of other UK i-Tree studies, but it gives me great pleasure and satisfaction to write the foreword to this report about London’s Trees. The London i-Tree study represents the most extensive urban tree survey carried out in the world to date. The Greater London Authority, the Forestry Commission, Treeconomics, the i-Tree steering group and all of the many people involved in the production of this extensive and hugely significant report are to be congratulated. I await, with expectant anticipation, its reception in the public domain and the positive outcomes for London’s trees which I hope will result. Sir Terry Farrell, CBE 4 Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project Matthew Pencharz Deputy Mayor for Environment & Energy Most Londoners understand instinctively that trees are important and that is why the Mayor initiated his street tree programme and has required more trees to be planted by developers. Robust evidence of the economic worth of London’s trees is essential to enable us to make the case for continued investment in our trees in the longer term. The report of the Green Infrastructure Task Force calls for better valuation of our green infrastructure assets, and this i-Tree survey is an excellent contribution to towards meeting that ambition. It provides a different, and hugely important, perspective on the value of London’s urban forest. Sir Harry Studholme Forestry Commission Chairman This is an excellent report, I welcome its publication and congratulate the very many people involved in its production. Valuing our environment is important. The Government Forestry Policy statement encourages the use of valuation systems. This has been backed up by the Natural Capital Committee’s report. Valuation provides evidence of the immense benefits of trees and woodland and shows why taking care of our urban forest makes economic sense. One of the London Tree and Woodland Framework objectives was to raise awareness and understanding. This report does just that, making sure we can not ignore the wealth contained in London’s trees. Martin Kelly Chair of Trees and Design Action Group The London Plan (2015) directed boroughs to take the work of the Trees and Design Action Group into account in producing LDF policies and determining planning applications (para. 7.65). It proposed that costs benefit analysis for the future value of trees, especially large growing trees, should also be recognised. TDAG welcomes the launch of the London i-Tree survey as it provides the tool by which these values can be assessed. Unilever Unilever is delighted to support the publication of this report as part of For the Love of Trees – London, a programme to highlight the value of London’s urban forest and actively engage in the planting of 40,000 trees across London to enhance neighbourhoods and schools. Unilever is campaigning to raise awareness of the importance of trees and forests and aims to reconnect Londoners with their love of trees whilst shining a light on the issue of global deforestation through its brightFuture campaign. The findings of this i-Tree report provide vital evidence to raise the profile and demonstrate the value of London’s trees. Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project 5 Acknowledgements Our thanks to the many people that made this project possible. This was a substantial team effort led by the RE:LEAF partnership . Project steering group members, who have assisted with the project and final report, are: Craig Harrison, Alison Field Forestry Commission and Jim Smith Chloe Smith, Matt Davies Greenspace Information for and Julie Cox Greater London CIC (GiGL) Jake Tibbets London Tree Officers Association and Dave Lofthouse Sally Harries and Natural England Sam Davenport Peter Massini Greater London Authority Margret Lipscombe The Tree Council Kate Sheldon Trees for Cities With And most importantly all the volunteers: Alan Williams Chris Setz Guzen Tuna Thanks Alex Fraser Chris Sheldon Hannah Clay Alex van der Nelson Christine Talmage Harriet Ibbett Alexandra Clark Christopher Angell Harriet O’Brien The Authors Alice Pearson Clive Kershaw Harry Studholme Alison Ellis Colin Bradley Helena Wright Alison Sweeney Colleen O’Sullivan Henry Jeffries Kenton Rogers Amy Hammond Daisy Cairns Hilary Burden Treeconomics Amy Whetstone Daniel Goode Hilary Friend Andrew Digby Daniel Simmons Holly Smith Andrew Hayashi Daniel Sitch Ian Mackean Keith Sacre Andrew Williams Daniel Belucci Iris Yau Barchams Andy Bryce Dave Wright Isabel Wreford Andy Lederer David Baxter Isabella Mees Angela Wilkinson David Bernstein Jackie Melsom Jessica Goodenough Anita Sedgewick David Humphries Jane Houghton Treeconomics Ann Watcyn Pugh David Hutchens Jane Plant & Peter Fischer Anna Marie Yassin David Mercer Jane Rutt & Brigid Crookes Anna Suska David Wheatley Jane Swann White Kieron Doick Annabel Downs Derek Hyatt Janice Fraser Forest Research Anne Horsburgh Diego Avesani Jennifer Blain Anne Queree Duncan Goodwin Jennifer Hegarty Anne Watson Éadaoin Ni Fhearghail Jenny Schofield Annie Chipchase Ed Fuller James Watson Anona Potts Eleanor Glen Jessica Beattie Bea Ayling Erin Gianferrara Jill Barrett Ben Morgan Fabiola Cedillo Joanna Bazley Benjamin Brace Fiona Moore Joe Woodcock Benson McDowell Francesca Estrada John Ashwell Carly Fretwell Francesco Dimitri John Eborall Carol Johnston Gemma Harris John Matthews Caroline Cupitt George Plucknett John Medhurst Caroline Ford George Raszka John Roscoe Caroline Staines Giedre Paliukaityte Jon Heuch Carolyn Serter Gillian Brown Jonathan Dean Catherine Airlie Ginny Page Jonathan Meares Catherine Collingborn Gloria George Joy Lee Charles Snead Graham Tennant Jude Hassall Cheryl Pilbeam Guy Meilleur Juliet Cairns Chris Colwell Guy Whiteley Juliet Hobday 6 Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project In addition we would also like to thank: Kate Harvey Richard Edwards Kate Williams Richard Ince Jeanette Hawkings of the Al Zelaya and Scott Maco Finally thanks to all those Katrina Fellerman Robert Butcher Forestry Commission for of the Davey Tree Expert members of the public who Katy Andrews Robert Goode coordinating all the field Company and Dr Dave let us access their properties Kelly King Robert Shilston crews. Angiolina Albertini, Nowak and Robert Hoehn to collect the field data for Kelvin Shewry Robin Middleton Phil Handley, Vicki USDA Forest Service this important project. Kieron Hardie Rosabel Richards Lawrence and Jeff Wilson for ongoing technical Kirsty Myron Rose Ades of Forest Research for assistance. Chris Neilan for Laura Gardner Rosie Pope providing technical assisting with the CAVAT Laura Pritchard Rupert Bentley-Walls support, data analysis calculations. Lydia Paris for Lazer Woolf Russell Ball and contributing to her help setting up social Leigh Terrafranca Russell Miller the fieldwork. media channels. Liz Goumas Saima Raza Liz Sherwood Sally Harries Lorraine Chatfield Samantha Davenport This Project was funded by: Luke Hawke Sarah Milliken Marcelo Novillo Sarah Riddlestone Forestry Commission Martin Anderson Sarah Ward England and the Martin Smith Sean Courtman Mayor of London with Matthew Hird Shaun Kiddell additional support from Matthew Payne Si Braybrooke, Forest Research the Meike Weiser Simon Ffoulkes USDA Forest Service Millie Toft Sonu Agarwal and The Davey Institute. Morag Carmicheal Sophie Da Costa Report production Nadia Ward Stephen Downing funded by Unilever. Nancy Fulford Stephen Middleton Nick Harrison Stephen Whittle Nicola Wheeler Susanna Ferrar Oliver Tong Susanne Raum Pam Fawcett Suzanne Flanagan Corke Paul Barton Tamsin Bacchus Paola Filotico Tasha Hunter Pat Gardiner Theresa Ball Pat Langley Thomas Campbell Patrica Knight Tom Moulton Peter Fischer Tom Roser Pherenice Worsey-Buck Victoria Perez Diaz Polly Turton Vincenzo De Lacovo Poppy Lakeman-Fraser Yas Andrauf Rachel Carlill Zaria Greenhill Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project 7 8 Valuing London’s Urban Forest Results of the London i-Tree Eco Project We know that maintaining and improving London’s urban forest has Executive considerable public support, but also that much of the urban forest has grown and matured over many years in conditions very different Summary from the cityscape of today.