Digital screens bringing the benefits of trees to commuters have appeared across the rail network, from Edinburgh, to Liverpool, to London Waterloo, in time for National Tree Week (November 23 – Dec 1).
The Tree Council, the national charity that brings everyone together for the love of trees, worked with JCDecaux Community Channel and communications company M&C Saatchi Group to develop the selection of three digital images.
Sara Lom, The Tree Council CEO, said: “Most people will walk by a tree on most days, perhaps without even noticing its presence. But trees deliver so much for us.
“For National Tree Week, we wanted to remind people in a busy built environment, like a railway station, of some of the wonderful ways that trees help us in our lives.
“We hope commuters see our posters and take away a positive message that leads to a greater understanding and lifelong appreciation of our wonderful trees.”
The images, one of which is animated to show an autumn leaf falling, combine a familiar looking tree shape with a tree related fact, to showcase some of the less well known ways trees help improve everyone’s daily lives.
Alex Lucas and Jon Farley, Creative Directors at M&C Saatchi said: “When it came to the visual treatment, we had a great starting point as trees are very aesthetically pleasing, so we felt that they should be at the centre of whatever we did.
“That thinking lead us to pursue changing something about each tree to bring to life the amazing facts – alder cones as headphones, tree hollows that looked like key holes and branches that looked like snowflakes.
“The illustrations allowed us to incorporate these little visual tricks without it looking too forced.”
Across National Tree Week, the images will be appearing at London Victoria, Birmingham New Street, London Euston, Kings Cross, Guildford, Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central, Liverpool Lime Street and Reading stations.
Chris Dooley, Head of Social Impact at JCDecaux UK, said “We are proud to partner with The Tree Council this National Tree Week, bringing their message to a national audience across our digital Out-of-Home screens.
“The JCDecaux Community Channel creates real value through the power of the public screen and aims to amplify Out-of-Home’s role as a force for good in the community.”
National Tree Week marks the traditional start of the winter tree planting season. More than 100 public planting events and tree themed talks, tours and exhibitions are profiled at www.nationaltreeweek.org.uk giving those inspired by the images an opportunity to turn their appreciation of trees into action.
National Tree Week 2024 runs from November 23 to December 1, to find out more, and get involved with trees, please visit www.nationaltreeweek.org.uk
