Trees are a core component of nature in cities, but in many coastal places the tree canopy is as low as 2% (Forest Research recommends minimum 20%). This matters, because it means that disadvantaged communities are left without the many cooling, flood protection, and health and well-being benefits that trees provide. We call this environmental injustice “tree inequity”.  

We're proud to be leading on this project, which is part-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund with a grant of £250,000, who are supporting the first two years of work in a much bigger journey to tackle this low tree equity. 

Hartlepool has a markedly low tree canopy cover, with the second lowest Tree Equity Score for any local authority in England (Tree Equity Score UK). Tree Equity for Hartlepool is the first project in the UK to use the Tree Equity Score UK tool comprehensively and town-wide, to form rigorous plans for change for communities where trees are needed most. Beyond tree canopy cover, the tree equity tool highlights other environmental factors such as heat severity and air pollution, taking a holistic view on which areas are in greatest need of green investment.

Helen Featherstone, Director of England North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, says, “As we welcome spring and we find ourselves enjoying the great outdoors more and more, it's great news that we're awarding this grant to Tree Equity for Hartlepool to allow people to connect with natural heritage on their doorsteps. Strengthening that natural heritage is a key priority for us here at The National Lottery Heritage Fund and we are incredibly proud to support this project that will tackle and overcome the low tree equity in Hartlepool.” 

Tree Equity for Hartlepool will bring together major local landowners alongside national tree specialists, working with Hartlepool Borough Council, Trees on Tees Community Forest, The Woodland Trust, Thirteen Housing Group and Treeconomics. Additional funding has been provided by Lendlease. 

Matt Snelling, Community Forest Director at Trees on Tees, says "Trees and woodlands add a huge amount of social, environmental and economic value to a place. Trees on Tees Community Forest is thrilled to work with Tree for Cities to deliver on this project and to help make Hartlepool a more desirable place to live and work." 

Abi Bunker, Director of Conservation and External Affairs at The Woodland Trust, says "Urban trees are an essential part of community life. A typical neighbourhood in Northeast England has around 15% tree cover, but the average in Hartlepool is half that figure. We’re excited to work with the local community and partners to change this by finding more places in the town where people can really see and feel the many benefits that trees can bring."

John Woods, Environmental Specialist at Thirteen Group, shares this enthusiasm: "We are very excited about this project to increase tree numbers in Hartlepool, and we fully understand the benefits this will bring to local area. Tree numbers are very low in this part of the Northeast, and this tree planting project will see increased biodiversity, add to the landscape’s tapestry, and bring all the additional positive impacts trees bring to the environment and communities of Hartlepool. We see this as a fabulous opportunity to reconnect people with nature, bringing communities together to celebrate the wonder of trees."

We've got a track record in greening coastal towns; our Forgotten Places project in 2021-23 saw just under 70,000 trees planted across seven coastal towns with high levels of socio-environmental deprivation. It also created urban forestry jobs and training opportunities and created Tree Planting Guidance for Coastal Authorities, which is freely available to councils to support their urban forestry programmes, alongside a Bexhill Tree Planting Strategy, produced in collaboration with Treeconomics.  

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