PLANT TREES: I’M A LEWISHAM RESIDENT

…green your neighbourhood and take ownership of your street

Transform your street with trees

Choose a tree and donate directly or raise funds with your street. Deadline to register interest for 2024/25 has closed. Register now for winter planting 2025/26.

How it works

  • To plant a street tree normally takes a year from the first enquiry. Trees are surveyed by the Council Tree Officer in early spring, sites and tree species selection are finalised in May after donations have been collected. The trees are ordered over the summer from reputable nurseries in time for pit digging, and planted from October till the end of March the following year.

  • Our team of volunteer area reps are the main point of contact for residents interested in street trees. They will guide you through the process, help you select suitable planting locations and advise on raising funds for the trees. If you are interested in becoming a street rep or an area rep please let us know here.

  • Residents can start watering their tree weekly with 20L from the end of March as the trees come into leaf. Find more watering and tree care advice here.

  • Registered interest for the planting season Winter 24/25 closes 31st January 2024. 

Please note:

The total planting cost (contractor and tree costs) for planting each tree is approximately £600. A contribution will be requested and this will help to fund part of the planting of the tree. The remaining costs will be covered through Street Trees for Living's fundraising efforts and a contribution from Lewisham Council.  Any funding received which is over and above those necessary to complete the project will be applied towards the general charitable purposes of Street Trees for Living. Associated sponsorship donations can be used at the discretion of Street Trees for Living in furtherance of its charitable aims. See charity link at the bottom of the page for more information. Your tree is guaranteed against failure or damage in the first two years after planting.

Why plant street trees?

Street trees offer a reminder of nature among the hard edges and surfaces of the city. They help to keep air fresh and clean and shield us from the noise and nuisance of traffic.

They also provide biodiversity and wildlife, shading and temperature regulation, reduce the risk of flooding and toxic air mortality, and as a part of the world’s tree population, reduce global warming.

Studies show they have a beneficial effect on mental health, work-productivity and business profits, and lower the levels of traffic speeding, road rage and crime. We are still discovering ways in which our mental and physical well-being is connected with trees.

Street trees can…

  • Green and cool our streets

  • Clean the air we breathe

  • Bring neighbours together to raise money and share in tree care

  • Leave a legacy for the future for our streets, local neighbourhoods and the wider city

  • Contribute to reducing our carbon footprint

  • Bring birds, bees and other wildlife to our streets

  • Offset charitable donations against a tax bill

FAQs

  • We require from sponsors a commitment to water the tree for three years and a donation* per tree (*Please note the donation amount for the 2023/2024 planting season was £350. The donation amount may increase for 2024/2025 due to rising contractor costs. This is currently being reviewed). The contribution will cover approximately a third of the costs involved in planting the tree. The remaining costs are covered by STfL with support from Lewisham Council and grant-giving bodies. There is a limited number of spaces for tree planting available, and donations will be allocated to available spaces on a first-come first-served basis. Any donations received which are over and above those necessary to complete the project will be applied toward the general charitable purposes of Street Trees for Living.

    The donation is on the understanding that the sponsor will water the tree for three years using this guidance. It includes an approx 4m tree with two stakes, a guaranteed replacement if the tree fails or is vandalised in the first two years, and a label carrying the sponsor's name, or a name in commemoration, on request.

  • Your tree or trees will be planted during the planting season, which runs from October to March, following our confirmation of your order. We are unable to give precise information about the timing of planting due to variable factors involved when planting the trees.

  • Yes! And we would love it if you did! If you need help with fundraising or finding waterers you could become a Street Rep.

  • The council’s contractors plant the trees. Street Trees for Living manages the planting on behalf of Lewisham Council.

  • We encourage you to give us your tree preference. Your area rep can help advise on the best trees that will do well in your street. We are very careful to only plant species deemed suitable for paved environments. You can check our species guidance here. We cannot always supply your preferred species due to stock availability. The availability can change at any time up until the time of planting. If so. we will choose a suitable alternative.

  • Please see our watering and care advice here.

  • Thanks to our Tree Guardians our trees have a survival rate of over 96%, a much higher percentage than most planted in other London boroughs. Watering is by far the most important factor in determining whether a tree thrives.

  • Yes you can. Every Street Trees for Living tree is given a label. Sponsors can request that it includes brief memorial wording referring to name and dates, at the discretion of the council.

  • Once the contractor starts digging the tree pits, they occasionally find previously undetected underground cables or pipes. In these instances we will try and do our best to find a site nearby, but this is not always possible.

  • Most of the street trees we plant survive – 96% in fact. However, occasionally a tree doesn’t thrive and very rarely it is vandalised. If your tree dies within two years of planting, it will be replaced under the council guarantee scheme, unless it died due to a lack of watering. After that time, you can register interest for next winter’s planting programme.

  • To give a tree its best chance, please keep an eye on it and watch for potential problems. For problems with STfL trees, please contact your area rep in the first instance or email us at info@streettreesforliving.org. For any other tree-related issues such as removal or dead, dangerous or dying trees, please contact Lewisham Council.

  • We only plant species deemed suitable for paved environments and posing low risk to pavements and property. Each case is unique when it comes to the risk of subsidence, if you are concerned about subsidence in your area please talk to Lewisham Council.

  • Volunteer! We are always on the lookout for volunteers. If you are interested in finding out more take a look at our Volunteer page. If you would prefer to make a one-off donation to contribute to the running costs of our campaign you can do so here.

  • Other Questions? Contact Us »