Trees planted in urban areas can improve and protect the quality of water, according to evidence published in a new report by the Woodland Trust. To those of us in the arboricultural business this makes obvious sense, but hopefully the government will finally take widespread action.

To be fair, Boris Johnson has overseen the planting of more than 100,000 trees in the city as part of his RE:LEAF programme, working in partnership with the Woodland Trust. We need similar action on a UK-wide basis in order to deal with increased rainfall and counteract the declining number of trees in urban areas.

Additional trees will not only absorb the excess water, but they will also reduce pollutants in the water supply, support natural habitats and create more attractive places to live. According to research by the University of Manchester, trees can reduce runoff by as much as 80% compared to asphalt – which is hardly surprising.

Increasing green cover can only be a good thing, and we urge everyone to support the Trust in its current mission.

To download the full report, visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/water