Urban trees can actually be more beneficial to wildlife than trees in forests as they tend to live longer than their counterparts, providing longer-term habitats and food sources for various species.

Biodiversity is crucial for maintaining the health of our urban areas, but choosing the right tree is important. Some trees are absolute biodiversity powerhouses, supporting different species and keeping our concrete jungles alive with birds, insects, small mammals and even interesting plants and fungi.

English Oak

The mighty English oak is a true urban wildlife superhero, supporting more than 2,300 different species. In fact, a huge 326 species depend on English oak trees for survival, including insects like the caterpillars of the dark-crimson underwing moth. A total of 299 species are rarely seen on any other tree other than oak, relying heavily on the tree for food and shelter.

All aspects of the tree are utilised by urban wildlife. Acorns are eaten by small mammals and birds, and the tree’s pollen is a popular food source for bees, with some like the oak-mining bee feeding almost exclusively on oak pollen. English oaks are an ideal habitat for birds and bats, who roost in holes left by other animals, or under loose bark on older trees.

Field Maple

As the UK’s only native maple, field maple trees support far more species than non-native alternatives. They are often utilised in woodlands and make great hedges or park trees. Field maples provide a habitat for over 50 species of invertebrates, including aphids, which are attracted to the tree’s sweet sap. The aphids then attract various species of ladybirds and hoverflies, keeping the food chain active.

You may find larger species among the branches in field maples as well. The dense canopy offers a perfect nesting opportunity away from predators, and the vast range of insects dwelling on the tree provides a healthy amount of food for birds and their young. When used in hedges, the dry leaf cover is appreciated by hedgehogs, especially as they come into hibernation in the winter, keeping them safe and warm through the colder months.

Common Hawthorn

Every part of the common hawthorn provides something crucial for various species, most notably the 125 species of moth that are associated with the tree. It is a common foodplant for various species of moth caterpillars, including the lappet and, unsurprisingly, the hawthorn. The vast amount of caterpillars makes common hawthorn trees attractive to many species of bird who nest among the dense, thorny foliage.

The tree’s haw fruit is rich in antioxidants and is eaten by many species of migratory birds like redwings and thrushes, as well as small mammals. The creamy white blossoms on a hawthorn tree are popular with a range of common animals; dormice are known to eat the flowers, while honey bees are attracted to the pollen, which has been known to change the colour and taste of local honey when nectar flow is good!

Silver Birch

With blossoms appearing early in the season, silver birches are an important source of pollen and nectar for bees, butterflies and other pollinators. The tree’s seeds are a food source for various birds like siskins, green finches and redpolls, while others like long-tailed tits and blue tits are keen on the abundance of aphids and moth caterpillars.

Silver birches are associated with a range of fungi, which may not grow on similar trees in towns and cities. It is not uncommon to see birch milk cap, woolly milk cap and birch knight on and around silver birch trees, especially over the autumn and winter. Other unusual finds on a silver birch may include the birch shield bug and the parent bug, two species of shield bug that eat the yellowish catkins over the summer.

Crab Apple

Fruit trees in general are great for wildlife, and can also provide food for humans, though we may suggest avoiding the bitter crab apples grown on these trees!

Crab apples provide food for a huge range of species, including some of our most common birds in the UK, like blackbirds, thrushes and crows. Some urban-dwelling mammals will benefit from dropped fruit, like foxes, badgers and squirrels. As the apples cling well into the winter, they are a vital source of food for animals when other food sources are scarce. The trees flower over a longer period than most, providing more pollen and nectar for pollinators.

Crab apple trees are sometimes planted as a pollination partner for cultivated apples in orchard planting schemes, so not only do urban animals benefit from the crab apple trees themselves, but the spectacular fruit trees that surround them!

What Trees for Cities are Doing

At Trees for Cities, we are striving to plant more urban trees to create havens for the wildlife that surrounds us every day. From planting orchards to hedges, our work not only makes our urban areas look better, but also ensures the biodiversity of our neighbourhoods stays diverse.

All of these trees are planted in our urban greening projects around the UK, from urban forests to street trees. You can play a part in providing habitats and crucial food sources for species all over the country by supporting our work. Every donation ensures that we can continue to plant and protect the trees that our native species call home.