The borough has been recognised as a Tree City of the World for creating outstanding green spaces in urban areas.

It joins a global network of cities and regions, recognised by the Arbor Day Foundation and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN), that are dedicated to ensuring their urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed, and celebrated.

The Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest non-profit membership organisation dedicated to planting trees. The Food and Agriculture Organization is a specialised agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Both organisations came together in 2019 and found Tree Cities of the World.

Councillor Deirdre Costigan, Ealing Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, said: “Ealing has one of the biggest tree planting programmes in London and it’s great news that this prestigious global organisation has recognised the work we have been doing to plant 50,000 more trees and to increase tree canopy cover to 25%. By the end of this year’s planting season in March we will have planted 19,000 new trees in 6 months, a record for Ealing!”

“Our ambitious plans for a new regional park in the borough and the opening of a new park in Perivale will also help us to plant new urban forests that will clean up our air and provide new habitats for wildlife.”

Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, said: “Trees are important to people, no matter what country they are from or what language they speak.

“We all want to live in a city that is healthy, resilient, and beautiful – trees serve as a common language to make that possible. Being recognised in the Tree Cities of the World programme means that your city is committing to go above and beyond to define trees as critical green infrastructure for your citizens.”

To earn Tree Cities of the World recognition, Ealing Council met the following standards:

• establish responsibility for the care of trees
• set rules to govern the management of forests and trees
• maintain an updated inventory or assessment of local tree resources
• allocate resources for a tree management plan
• hold an annual celebration of trees – watch out for events later this year

In the meantime, you could help to celebrate some of the most magnificent, beautiful and inspiring trees in the borough by nominating your favourites as part of the council’s Brilliant Trees of Ealing campaign.