Street tree sponsorship scheme
Coventry City Council is among some of the first local authorities in the UK to join Trees for Streets, the new national street tree sponsorship scheme.
Trees for Streets is a project by Trees for Cities, the national urban tree charity, and is funded by the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund. It aims to support the planting of more than a quarter of a million street trees nationwide over the next ten years.
The Trees for Streets online platform is easy-to-use and means anyone can sponsor a street tree in their neighbourhood by making a donation, and completing a few simple details. A request is automatically sent to the Council, who then assess the chosen location for suitability. If the chosen spot is appropriate, they will make the arrangements to plant a tree the following winter: the best time to plant young trees to ensure they grow and thrive.
Why are street trees important?
- Street trees deliver a whole host of benefits right outside your door – here’s what they do for us:
- Capture carbon dioxide and produce oxygen
- Improve our health and wellbeing – both physically and mentally
- Capture air pollution
- Improve air quality by acting like natural filters
- Protect us from flooding
- Create shading and cooling – so important in towns and cities
- Make the neighbourhoods where we live that bit nicer.
How to get involved
Beyond sponsoring a tree, there are lots of other ways for you to get involved.
Once each street tree is planted, it will need watering every week throughout the summer for three years to give it the best chance of survival. Any litter or weeds will need removing as well to make sure it thrives.
By donating your time (and water) to care for street trees, you’ll be contributing to a legacy for your community.
It’s also a great opportunity to chat with neighbours and enjoy the fresh air these trees provide.