RE:LEAF Awards

The RE:LEAF Tree and Woodland Awards recognise committed individuals, organisations and great projects that have promoted and improved the conservation and management of London's trees and woodland. The 5th annual awards were held on Wednesday 15 May at City Hall, with over 130 guests hosted by the Mayor's Environment Advisor Matthew Pencharz and Chairman of the Forestry Commission Sir Harry Studholme. The following awards were presented:

Street Trees – for projects that improve the street scene and are valued by local residents and/or businesses

  • Winner: The W1W Tree Planting Initiative– for a project that local residents and businesses clearly value; provides benefits to local people and those working / travelling through the area; has secured funding and long term maintenance of the trees; gained a high profile that generates further successes
  • Highly commended: Ealing Street Tree Initiative (Susan Wyatt, Dale Mortimer and the Tree Council Wardens of Ealing); Trees for Cities Romford Ring Road Tree Planting Project

Community Trees and Woodlands – for projects that have been inspired, driven, and delivered by local community groups

  • Winner: Friends of South Hill Wood – for a project that clearly involves the community in tackling challenging woodland issues, delivers practical management and demonstrates long term project sustainability
  • Highly commended: Tower Hamlets Cemetery; W1W Tree Planting Initiative; Balfour Street Residents Group; Brockwell Park tree donation & celebration, and Brockwell Park wildlife corridor

RE:LEAF Urban Forestry Award - a unique and deserved special recognition for effective partnership working between local community groups, developers and a local authority.

  • Winner: The Balfour Street Resident's Group, the Environmental Action Network and Forestbank - Southwark and Elephant and Castle – for the most innovative and effective community action to protect the urban forest in London.

The Tree Council Trees and Learning – for projects that engage and involve children

  • Winner: Garden Classroom – for an exemplary learning project that continues to develop and broaden its scope for the benefit of children. A £300 prize from the Tree Council towards the project was also awarded.
  • Highly commended: Trees for Cities Hampstead & Lansbury Schools Projects; Brockwell Park projects

RE:LEAF 'Acorn' - for the individual that has made a particular contribution to promoting or conserving trees

  • Winner: Mark Gazaleh – for his long term, unwavering work to improve the environment in the W1W area and engage local businesses and community in the work
  • Highly commended: Gwen Rosen; Ishpi Blackley

RE:LEAF Creative Award - for photos, poems, prose or posters that evoke the value and beauty of trees in London

  • Winner: Ulmus londinium video – for an innovative presentation of facts about elm that highlight a range of ways in which trees, and elm in particular, play a part in people’s lives
  • Highly commended: Colleen O’Sullivan’s photos of Cherry blossom and St Jame's Park

LTOA Individual Commitment Award

  • Winner: Paul Akers, Arboricultural Manager for Westminster City Council for his long term, unwavering work to improve the environment in W1W area and engage local businesses and communities

The awards are supported by the Mayor of London, the Forestry Commission and the RE:LEAF partnership. The Woodland Trust, Barcham Trees and Gristwood & Toms kindly sponsored the event.