Around 2000 semi-mature British grown trees have been hand-picked for the London 2012 Olympic Park in what is thought will be the largest one-off planting of its kind in the capital.
The trees will form the roots of the 100 hectare park that will provide a colourful setting and festival atmosphere for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a green space for people and wildlife in legacy. The four to seven metre high trees have been grown by the selected supplier, Hilliers Nurseries in Hampshire, which has worked on projects including the 1951 Festival of Britain, the Manchester Commonwealth Games Stadium and the Millennium Dome.
The trees, which will be planted over the following three winters, have been carefully selected to ‘future proof’ against climate change and are predominantly native species such as ash, alder, willow, birch, hazel, cherry, poplar, London plane and lime. Trees will provide shelter from wind and sunshine across the park, Willow and Alder will be planted in river areas to withstand flooding and species vulnerable to climate change have been avoided.
Viewing first-hand the rows of Olympic Park trees in Hampshire, ODA Chairman John Armitt said: “Seeing 2000 semi-mature trees lined up ready to start being planted in the Olympic Park gives you a real sense of the green setting being created for the Games themselves and the transformation of this part of London in legacy. We are cleaning up former industrial land to create the largest urban park in the UK for over a century as a cornerstone for the regeneration of the area.
“We are not only planting trees that will look fantastic and reflect the traditions of great British parks, but also create habitats for wildlife and help ‘future proof’ against the impacts of climate change on the park and surrounding communities.”
London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Chairman Sebastian Coe said: “Progress building the Olympic Park has been spectacular and as the facilities begin to take shape, the excitement is growing. At Games time, the eyes of the world will be on this area of London and after the Games, there will be an entirely new community left behind. In 2012 it will be a hub of sporting excellence and a thriving, lively focal point for spectators and visitors. Beyond that, the area will be home to housing, places of work, sporting and education facilities. The trees will ensure that the Park will be just that – a park, making sure that people who visit in 2012 and the communities who live there beyond do so in a spectacular, family-friendly environment.”
Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said: "The trees that are being planted over the next three years are largely native species which will ensure the park is a haven for wildlife whilst giving a sense of the traditional British Woodlands that make up such a large part of our parks and countryside."
Royal Horticultural Society Superintendent for Woody Ornamentals Colin Crosbie said: “Trees have an unparalleled ability to remove C02 from the atmosphere, bring beauty to the landscape, provide shade and help to calm down our cities – they are the one single, biggest natural entity on which we rely and unfortunately, pay little attention too. This planting will equate to a city wood that will not only care for us in the long term us, but will also provide a home to London’s wildlife. Its fantastic news and an example I hope other event organizers will follow.”
ODA Project Sponsor for Parklands and Public Realm John Hopkins said: “The UK horticultural industry is demonstrating its enthusiasm to help deliver the London 2012 Games. Selecting these trees takes us a step closer to creating a new park for London at the heart of the 2012 Games and its legacy. The planning application has been approved, contractors and suppliers are being appointed and the land is nearly ready for construction of the parklands to start on track this summer. These big trees will have a significant impact in Games and for a hundred years or more in Legacy. I look forward to working with the supplier to ensure that they are nurtured, delivered, planted and thrive in the Olympic Park.”
Following a highly competitive procurement through www.competefor.com, the online dating agency matching businesses to London 2012 supply chain work, Hillier Nurseries has been selected to provide the majority of the trees from their Hampshire nursery and source any additional requirements. The 145 year old family-owned company has won 64 consecutive Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. All trees will comply with the UK and EU regulations for plant health and quality in accordance with the National Plant Specification.
Over the next three years suppliers will be sought for thousands of younger woodland trees, shrubs and other plants to create a diverse and rich parkland for the 21st century developing the tradition of centuries of British landscape and garden design.
The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) will shortly appoint a contractor to supply over 500,000 wetland plants for the parklands, ready for planting to start next spring.
In legacy the parklands, designed for people and wildlife, will provide the focus for the London 2012 legacy sports facilities including the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre, VeloPark, multi-sports arena and Eton Manor outdoor sports complex. The southern part of the Park will focus on continuing the festival atmosphere of the Games, with riverside gardens, markets, events, cafes and bars. The northern parklands will provide a more open, ecological landscape of wetlands, woodlands and bio-diverse lawns and habitats for hundreds of existing and rare species from kingfishers to otters.
The ODA is working with the London Development Agency (LDA) and the newly formed Olympic Legacy Company to ensure the parklands fit into the Legacy Master Plan Framework - a spatial plan for the development of the Olympic Park site after the 2012 Games which will address the long-term management and maintenance of the parklands.
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