More than 4,500 saplings are to be planted across the borough to help tackle the climate emergency.

It coincides with National Tree Week this week, the UK's largest annual tree celebration.

Brentford Dock has embarked on a major tree-planting programme which began in November.

Hounslow Council says a greener borough benefits both people and the environment, providing homes for wildlife and helps to absorb pollution.

National Tree Week encourages people to think about, celebrate and explore the beauty and necessity of the UK's trees and also marks the start of the winter tree planting season following the removal of the dead and dying Poplar trees.

A selection of 14 different trees will be planted, increasing climate change resilience.

Borough parks will feature an additional 420 standards (individual trees) and over 4,000 whips (small young trees and hedgegrows) as part of this year's planting programme.

Cllr Samia Chaudhary, Cabinet Member for Leisure Services at Hounslow Council said: "The value of trees and the importance of the environment should never be underestimated.

"Trees give life to our streets and our parks, help improve the health of communities, and provide homes for precious wildlife, and the thousands of new trees that will be planted will bring many benefits for generations to come.

"Despite COVID-19 restrictions people can still get out and about for exercise and enjoy Hounslow's many green spaces and parks safely."

Cllr Guy Lambert, Cabinet Member for Highways, Recycling and Companies said: "Trees are such an important part of our effort to reduce our carbon footprint, and planting is a significant part of our Climate Emergency Action Plan.

"In urban areas trees link up our valuable green spaces, connecting our local communities with nature.

"It can take some years for trees to reach maturity and their full potential, so it is important to keep planting so that generations to come can benefit."

The mass planting continues the efforts made since November 2019 which saw over 1,000 trees planted across the borough's parks.