Marlborough Highways has reached its target of planting 5,000 new street trees in the London Borough of Hackney, which it said is one of the largest schemes of its type in the UK.
As the council’s principal highways contractor, Marlborough worked with the council team and tree suppliers Barcham to project manage the programme, sourcing more than 80 varieties of native and non-native species.
In line with Hackney Council’s environmental strategy of reaching net zero emissions by 2040, planners set a goal of planting thousands of trees throughout the borough in just two years.
Marlborough said this required a complex schedule, involving storage, transportation, ground preparation and planting, with specialist botanical knowledge vital to ensuring that the right trees were chosen for the right settings.
At the peak of the scheme, the firm was planting up to 200 trees per week, with individual trees typically ranging from three to five metres in height.
The initiative increases street tree canopy coverage in Hackney from 20% to 30%, and aims to reduce the risk of flooding through better street drainage.
Marlborough is now tasked with the maintenance and upkeep of the trees, with a specialist team monitoring their development in the months ahead.
Managing director Matthew Revell said: ‘As well as providing shelter and shade, and improving the appearance of the city landscape, the new trees are helping to reduce pollution and are encouraging local people to reconnect with nature.
‘I am looking forward to seeing the streets of Hackney blossom as the trees grow and mature.’
The Hackney Council project also included 1,000 new trees and 30,000 saplings in parks and green spaces across the borough.
