Ipswich has achieved Tree City of the World (TCotW) status for a second year, recognising Ipswich Borough Council’s dedication to growing and maintaining an urban forest in the area.
With over 60,000 trees in Ipswich and tree canopy cover of 15%, Ipswich is one of just 168 cities from 21 countries to receive this special recognition and celebrates Ipswich as a leader in urban and community forestry in the UK.
The Tree Cities of the World programme, run by the Arbor Day Foundation and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, aims to create more green spaces in urban areas by recognising the cities that do this well. Its shared vision is to connect cities around the world in a new network dedicated to adopting the most successful approaches to managing urban trees and forests.
The programme is a global effort to recognise cities and towns committed to ensuring that their urban forests and trees are well maintained, sustainably managed, and duly celebrated.
To earn Tree Cities of the World status, Ipswich had to meet five programme standards for responsible care, effective tree management, regular assessment, tree management plans, and host tree events.
An Ipswich Borough Council spokesperson says: “We are thrilled to have retained this prestigious title as a Tree City of the World. This achievement is thanks to the hard work of our parks team who have demonstrated a real commitment in the way we look after our trees across Ipswich.
We’re fortunate to have so many green spaces in Ipswich, plus award-winning parks in Christchurch Park and Holywells Park. Tree City of the World status also opens us up to more funding opportunities and allows us to continue to plant more trees to benefit our residents and the environment for generations to come.”
