Tree blitz at Ashburton fields spreads well-being – and much-needed extra summer shade

Hundreds of volunteers gathered to plant more than 3,600 trees in Ashburton Playing Fields in Croydon.

Hosted by environmental charity Trees for Cities in partnership with Croydon council, the new trees promise to enrich the area by supporting biodiversity, cooling and cleaning the air, and boosting people’s mental and physical health. Those attending included nature author and adventurer Alastair Humphries.

In honour of National Tree Week and Trees for Cities’ 30th anniversary, beyond tree planting other festivities included the bright rhythms of Carribé Steel Band, The Museum of Memorable Trees exploring the deep connections people have with trees, and Roaming Trees, a walkout comedy act.

The Sensory Trust, a charity that makes nature more inclusive, provided relaxed sign-in and accessibility packs. One of the trees planted was a community memorial tree, set up by St Christopher’s Hospice.

Mr Humphries said: “We worked side by side, hauling mulch, digging holes, and transforming the space into a little bit of future forest. It felt great to be surrounded by fellow tree-lovers and decent local folk.

“People in cities need trees more than anywhere else to clean up the air, to lower the temperatures, to help with pollution, to bring us some happiness and nature connection, to bring some joy, to get some wildlife into our lives. It’s vital.”

One of the volunteers said: “It was fabulous fun for the whole family. Very well organised, a very positive experience and a great memory to carry with us.”

Others taking part included Paul Dalton, trees and woodlands manager at Croydon council, and councillors Jeet Bains, Richard Chatterjee and Scott Roche.

Trees for Cities has a 30-year history of bringing communities together to plant trees, targeting places with markedly low tree canopy cover. Ashburton Playing Fields is situated within neighbourhoods that have an estimated 9.8 per cent and 14.7 per cent canopy cover, well below the recommended urban tree canopy cover of 20 per cent, and among the bottom third most tree-deprived areas in the country.

The  Croydon Climate Crisis Commission strongly supports more tree planting and the restoration of green spaces.

To find out more about how to help plant more trees where they’re needed most, please visit: https://www.treesforcities.org/.

Pictured top: Don’t even ask! But fun was the order of the day as well as graft (Picture: Saoirse Clohessy)