Why London Is Home to the World’s Largest Urban Forest

With 21 per cent canopy cover and a tree population nearing its residents, London now meets the UN definition of an urban forest.

London’s tree population is now closing in on its human population — 8.4 million trees for 8.6 million residents — placing the capital among the world’s largest and most complex urban forests. With 21 per cent canopy cover, the city meets the United Nations’ technical threshold for what constitutes a forest.

Although London is often defined by its skyline of glass and steel, urban foresters say the city’s real infrastructure story is rooted in its trees. The canopy stretches across parks, private gardens, ancient woodlands, street corridors, rail embankments and road verges, forming a vast, interlinked ecosystem that rivals the scale of many traditional forests.

More than 40 per cent of public land is classified as green space, and when private land is included, nearly half of London is green or blue space. It’s one reason urban planners increasingly describe the capital as a “forest city” — a place where nature and built form coexist at an unusually dense and ambitious scale.

Remnants of ancient woodland — Highgate, Coldfall, Sydenham Hill and Oxleas Woods — sit alongside 900,000 street trees and the sweeping landscapes of Hyde Park, Regent’s Park, Hampstead Heath and Richmond Park. Together, they form a mosaic of habitats woven through one of the world’s busiest cities.

Watch the video – https://youtu.be/t9xsHfdzt0U?t=19

The environmental benefits are significant. Trees absorb harmful pollutants, including nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, helping to counter London’s long‑standing air‑quality problems. They also play a central role in carbon sequestration, urban cooling and stormwater management, making them a cornerstone of the city’s climate‑resilience strategy.

Researchers have also documented the human benefits. Access to urban nature has been shown to improve mental and physical well‑being, with even brief visits to parks boosting mood and reducing stress. As London faces rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events, its canopy is increasingly viewed not as a decorative amenity but as essential civic infrastructure.

Article created by our partner – Jason Ross – Wood Central

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