Initially described as ‘permanent’ installations when they were unveiled, the council removed the Leytonstone ‘CityTrees’ on Thursday last week

By Marco Marcelline

The dead ‘CityTree’ at the intersection of Leytonstone High Road and Crownfield Road, Credit: LDRS

Two urban greening installations covered in dead moss were removed by the council last week.

The large moss-filled towers, called ‘CityTrees’, were both located in Leytonstone; one sits directly outside Leytonstone Station next to the A12, while the other was found at the intersection of Leytonstone High Road, Cann Hall Road and Crownfield Road.

The ‘CityTrees’ were designed by German startup Green City Solutions. The installations contained a water tank, an automatic irrigation system and plant sensors that were powered using solar panels and batteries.

In official council documents the moss-walled infrastructure is described as having the ability to remove as much pollution as 275 trees. At their unveiling in early 2020 the council described them as “permanent” structures.

According to Green City Solutions, the installations have been under the complete control of Waltham Forest Council since they were rolled out in January 2020. Green City Solutions added that it is not in “direct communication” with the council about the trees.

The council first said it would remove the four-metre-tall and three-metre-wide installations on 6th September.

At the time, council climate lead Clyde Loakes said the council was “exploring alternative options to resolve the ongoing irrigation and planting maintenance challenges we have experienced. This may lead to identifying alternative plant species to fill out the City Trees.”

It remains unclear what the “irrigation and planting maintenance challenges” were or if “alternative plant species” have been identified; the council did not respond to requests for comment.

The Echo asked Waltham Forest Council how much the CityTrees cost them to install, maintain and remove, but we have not yet received a response.

The CityTrees have been installed in other UK locations, including Westminster in London, and in Glasgow.

Glasgow was the first UK city to have the German-designed moss towers installed back in June 2017.

In a press release issued by Glasgow City Council, each CityTree was said to have cost “approximately £20,000”.

It’s unclear if the CityTrees in both Westminster and Glasgow are still standing. Both Westminster and Glasgow City councils were contacted for comment.

Outside the UK, CityTrees have been installed in Berlin, Germany and in Cork, Ireland.

Cork City Council was forced to defend its decision to spend over €404,000 of public money on five CityTrees in 2021. Their installation was so controversial that local residents took to pelting the units with fast food and pinning posters to them that said the money could have been spent on providing free school meals for school children in need.

CityTree designer Green City Solutions did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

In September the company told the Echo: “The mentioned project is not under the purview of Green City Solutions, and thus we do not have influence on it. Therefore, we cannot provide a statement regarding the progress and the current status of the project.

Green City Solutions added: “In this case, we would endorse the establishment of a direct communication and business relationship between Waltham Forest and Green City Solutions to work towards a solution. We are always happy to assist!”

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