Are we planting enough street trees in Sydenham?
Can Lewisham really be called a “green borough”?
Our borough has rightly gained a high reputation for its parks and green spaces, which last year were formally recognised as London’s best.
But what about greening and tree planting on our local streets? Here the situation is bad and has hardly improved in the last decade. If you think that the number of trees in our streets is increasing, think again.
Following a review of records for tree planting across Sydenham, Forest Hill, and Perry Vale wards between 2013 and the end of the current tree planting season in early 2023, the Council will have planted 299, felled 252 with a net gain of 47 trees.
That’s around one and a half extra trees per ward per year over the last decade. Trees are being removed almost as quickly as new ones are planted. Look around and you’ll easily spot entire streets which have largely been denuded of trees.
Groups such as Street Trees for Living are doing a great job in planting new trees (although residents have to pay £320 per tree for each new tree). But aren’t we just standing still in the middle of a crisis for the environment? Is Lewisham really a green borough? Not at the moment if you look at the hard evidence.