Did you know that the green spaces in our towns and cities – from the trees lining our streets to the woodlands nestled in parks – are vital for our well-being and the health of our planet? Urban trees do so much more than look beautiful. They’re silent superheroes, working hard to clean our air, reduce noise pollution, keep our cities cool, boost biodiversity, enhance community well-being and help us reach net-zero targets as crucial carbon sinks.
The 2025 Urban Tree Festival is a nationwide celebration highlighting the incredible value of trees in urban environments across the UK.
The Branching Out project from the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York is excited to participate in this year’s festival with some engaging online activities.
Project / Novel methods to map the social and cultural value of trees to inform policy decisions regarding urban treescapes.
Feature / The Branching Out project connected researchers, policymakers and communities to integrate the social and cultural value of UK city treescapes into planning.
Feature / This International Day of Forests, SEI shares four insights into how forests support food security, climate resilience and sustainable cities.
Feature / A study by SEI York PhD student Ying Wang shows that spending time in natural environments in childhood leads to more attachment to these environs in adulthood.
