Travellers and commuters can take a moment among the trees as The Tree Council brings foliage and fun into London Victoria station to mark World Environment Day, on June 5.
The Tree Council, the national charity working together for the love of trees, will green the concourse at London Victoria with the installation of a magnificent beech tree, surrounded by a glade of silver birches, a yew, and an under-storey of native shrubs and ferns. The exhibit will be in place for two weeks around World Environment Day.
The Tree Council CEO, Sara Lom said: “Nature makes us feel better! Trees can help relieve stress, reduce anxiety and generally improve our mental wellbeing.
“So many people in cities are nature-deprived and we wanted everyone passing through London Victoria to have their day calmed and brightened with this beautiful glade of trees.”
“So many people in cities are nature-deprived and we wanted everyone passing through London Victoria to have their day calmed and brightened with this beautiful glade of trees.”
Passengers will be invited to take a seat on a special bench beneath the greenery and feel the benefit of being close to nature in such a busy urban environment.
A joint initiative between The Tree Council and partners, Network Rail, and London Heritage Quarter, the installation will also give travellers and commuters the opportunity to consider a personal promise to make a small change for World Environment Day.
The promises – on card “leaves” – will be attached to the verdant foliage to inspire other station users to think about their environment and how, collectively, small changes can make a big impact.
Information on the different species of plants used in the installation will be available on site, as well as inspiration to explore London Victoria’s nearby trees, and insights into Network Rail’s commitments to biodiversity and to encouraging rail travel as an environmentally conscious choice.
There will also be a selfie frame available for foliage laden shots to share your love of nature with friends and family.
Network Rail Sussex Route Director, Lucy McAuliffe said: “Our railway lines are important corridors for wildlife and biodiversity, but safety comes first, and we do sometimes have to remove trees.
“Planting trees in safer spaces with The Tree Council is one of the ways in which we’re able to do that, protecting and preserving biodiversity across the country, while helping to encourage greener communities too. I’m delighted we’re able to continue our partnership, and highlight its success on World Environment Day.”
“This wonderful installation at Victoria Station is a timely and powerful reminder of the critical role trees play in making our cities healthier, greener and more resilient”
The Tree Council works with Network Rail on a UK-wide community planting programme on behalf of four Network Rail regions. Across the five-year partnership to date, The Tree Council and Network Rail have planted 350,000 trees across Britain, targeting areas of high deprivation, and often working with social enterprises and special needs groups. Network Rail’s Southern region, covering Dorset, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, Surrey, Kent and South London, is on track to plant more than 100,000 trees and shrubs by winter 2025/26,
London Heritage Quarter CEO, Ruth Duston OBE, OC said: “This wonderful installation at Victoria Station is a timely and powerful reminder of the critical role trees play in making our cities healthier, greener and more resilient.
“London Heritage Quarter, is proud to support this initiative alongside The Tree Council and Network Rail, highlighting not only the natural beauty of trees, but also the social, environmental and economic value they bring to urban life.
“The installation encourages all of us to pause, reflect and consider how small, individual actions can help nurture a more sustainable future for London.”
World Environment Day 2025, on June 5, is focused on ending plastic pollution and encouraging people to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink plastics use.
The Tree Council installation will be at Victoria Station, London, for two weeks from Monday June 2. World Environment Day 2024 is on June 5, to find out more please visit www.worldenvironmentday.global/ To find out more about The Tree Council, please visit www.treecouncil.org.uk
Huge thanks to the expert team at Hortus Loci for the beautiful tree installation at London Victoria.
