Tree management
Street trees
There are 36,000 street trees in Barnet, the second highest number in London. All trees receive an annual health and safety assessment and are pruned on a cyclical programme.
Each tree is recorded on the council’s tree management database, listing, among other things, location, species, size and condition.
Parks trees
We have over 200 green spaces in Barnet, covering 848 hectares. All parks trees are inspected annually and serious health and safety concerns are identified and remedied. Our largest and oldest trees are often found in green spaces.
We manage veteran trees according to guidelines from the Woodland Trust and English Nature to ensure they are conserved for the future.
Trees on housing estates
Trees on council housing estates and gardens are maintained by Barnet Homes. If you have a request for tree work, please contact your Housing Officer at Barnet Homes in the first instance.
Tree planting
We plant over 500 new street trees every year. If you would like a tree planted where you live, please contact us with location details.
Problem trees
If you have any concerns with a tree on council land, please contact Customer Services.
Urgent / emergency work
If you are reporting storm damage or are concerned a tree may be unsafe, please contact us as soon as possible using the contact information in the menu on the left. Please give as much detail as possible.
If you notice this at the evening or weekend, please contact the out-of-hours service:
- Tel: 020 8359 2000.
Why are trees important in cities?
- Trees produce oxygen. Two mature trees will provide all the oxygen a family of four needs for life.
- Trees absorb pollutants and reduce dust levels.
- Trees help cut noise pollution.
- Trees provide shade for car parking and help reduce skin cancer levels.
- Trees cool the air in built up areas by evaporating water from their leaves.
- Trees punctuate the changes in the seasons.
- Trees feed and shelter wildlife.
- Trees form “green corridors” connecting urban habitats with each-other and with the countryside.
- Trees reduce wind speeds reducing heat loss from buildings.
- In leafy streets, trees can increase property prices by up to 7% (Source, National Urban Forestry Unit).
- Research shows that a view of nearby trees improves concentration levels in schools and reduces stress level for adults at work.
Related Service Area Information: Trees
