Did you know that there are more than 200,000 trees in Cambridge? As part of the council’s work to grow and enhance our ‘urban forest’ we undertook a groundbreaking study with the help of residents and volunteers to assess the benefits that trees bring to the city.

Trees, shrubs and other plants create an important habitat for birds and insects which all contributes towards a healthy ecosystem and promotes biodiversity.

They also support physical health by improving air quality – tree’s both remove air pollutants in the atmosphere and provide Cambridge with an estimated 3,460 tonnes of Oxygen each year.

Alongside making the city beautiful, streets, parks and gardens filled with trees can also have psychological benefits in reducing stress and providing spaces for relaxation and contact with nature.

The Cambridge i-Tree Eco Study found that the city’s trees:

• Cover about 20.1% of the city, are valued at about £1.03 billion and would cost about £172 million to replace
• Capture about 2,040 tonnes of carbon every year, valued at £524,000
• Store about 88,000 tonnes of carbon, valued at £22,500
• Remove about 22.2 tonnes of pollution every year, valued at £990,000
• Prevent about 97,600m3 of stormwater runoff every year, valued at £153,000.

Your ward by canopy cover

Canopy cover is defined by the area of leaves, branches and stems of trees that can be seen from a bird’s eye view and is a good measure of urban forest fitness.

Each wards canopy cover can be seen below:

• Newnham and West Chesterton: 21.1%
• East Chesterton: 18.8%
• Arbury: 18.3%
• Trumpington 18.1%
• Castle: 17.9%
• Queen Edith’s: 17.8%
• Romsey: 17.5%
• King’s Hedge’s: 17.4%
• Petersfield and Coleridge: 17.3%
• Market: 16%
• Abbey: 14%
• Cherry Hinton:13%

Increasing canopy cover in Cambridge

To become more climate resilient, help support biodiversity and continue to make Cambridge a pleasant green city to live in and visit, it is important that we continue to grow the canopy cover in the city.

The tree strategy shapes how we manage and protect the trees in the city.

Everyone should be able to access nature and its benefits. This study will help the council target parts of the city with less tree cover, to help spread the benefits. It shows in real terms how trees can help reduce some of the risks of climate change.

Increasing canopy cover can take years and it essential residents support this increase by planting their own trees and shrubs – the council offers free trees for babies that can be planted in your garden or you can sponsor a tree to be planted on your street or in one of the city’s parks and open spaces. You can also support the council to water trees.