Alastair McKinlay, Senior Project Officer at The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), reveals the background to the making of the toolkit and the positive impact he hopes it will have on successfully, and sustainably managing urban forests across the capital and beyond.
London is one of the world’s largest urban forests – defined as all the trees and woodlands in a town or a city – containing an estimated 8.4 million trees in public and private spaces. There are thousands of volunteers across London helping to manage woodland spaces and many volunteer groups would like support to connect with the wider community and getting more people involved.
I have spent the past year and a half travelling around London meeting woodland volunteer/community groups assessing their support needs in improved woodland management. I have introduced them to a Woodland Condition Self-Assessment (WCS), designed for anyone to assess the health of their woodlands and consider ways to help improve its management. I have also delivered bespoke training courses, demonstrating basic woodland management techniques in woodlands across the city.
The WCS has been developed by London Wildlife Trust (LWT), Trees for Cities (TfC), The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) on behalf of the London Urban Forest Partnership (LUFP).
My role at TCV is funded by the Trees Call to Action Fund. The fund was developed by Defra in partnership with the Forestry Commission and is being delivered by the Heritage Fund. It is one of nine projects created to accelerate delivery of the London Urban Forest Plan.
Through this engagement with woodland groups, I have identified common training themes or needs such as: species identification, impact of invasive competitive species, Ivy, trees, erosion compaction, low saplings, coppicing, hedge laying and veteran trees.
In response to the common themes in the woodlands we’ve assessed, I am creating a Woodland Volunteer Toolkit. This is linked to the Woodland Condition Self-Assessment, offering solutions and guidance for woodland volunteers across London.
This is a fantastic opportunity for London’s community to learn more about maintaining and improving the health of a local woodland. It is also an opportunity to get involved at a local woodland or green space with a positive activity that is outdoors, in nature and of benefit to everyone living here.
the importance of tree canopy
Tree canopy cover for the whole of London is around 20% but there is a wide variation in different boroughs with some having as little as 8% (Barking & Dagenham) and others as much as 28% (Camden). Individual wards can range from less than 3% tree canopy cover to more than 50% in others.
The inequality in tree canopy cover is also reflected in the inequality of representation in woodland volunteer groups. Through this project, I hope to encourage those from underrepresented groups, such as young people and minority ethnic groups, to get more
involved in local woodlands. London has almost a tree for everyone! If we can improve the management and regeneration of woodlands, there could be millions more trees in future years!
If you are part of a woodland volunteer/community group in London and would like support with the Woodland Condition Self-Assessment, Woodland Volunteer Toolkit and engaging the wider community please contact me at Alastair.McKinlay@TCV.org.uk. You will also find other useful information at the London Urban Forest Resource HubIf you are interested in getting involved with a woodland volunteer/community group in London, please see the TCV Community Network Groups in TCV in London or let me know if I can help!
