Exploring Islington’s trees with EzyPortal

London Borough of Islington introduced the Islington Tree Map in 2025 transforming access to tree data for residents. The interactive map allows users to easily explore the full collection of the local trees and associated information.

This achievement was made possible through close partnership between the Islington Council and Ezytreev’s specialists, who worked together to adapt, configure and further develop the EzyPortal. The interactive mapping platform now meets the Borough’s specific requirements, drawing directly on live Ezytreev data. The portal publishes comprehensive and reliable information readily accessible to all.

Tree inventory and the environmental benefits of Islington’s trees

Islington is situated immediately to the north of the City of London. It is one of London’s smallest Boroughs covering just 5.74 square miles (1487 hectares). Islington Tree Map has multiple layers, including current trees, removed trees and potential places for planting trees. Residents can view the Ecological Benefits provided by their local trees and their estimated value. This includes trees on streets, in a park, or on a housing estate. Islington Council has proud ownership of several notable parks, estates and open spaces and helps manage over 45,000 trees in London.

Whether you are looking to identify a tree’s species, uncover its ecological contributions, or simply explore the area, EzyPortal offers an array of insights and Islington Tree Map reshapes how visitors engage with the trees, turning a local walk into an informed, interactive exploration of the landscape! The data held for each tree record includes tree species, dimensions, and even photographs of the trees. The platform allows Islington Tree Service to engage with a wider range of residents and even host competitions through the platform.

EzyPortal integrates the i-Tree Ecosystem services values, presenting the environmental benefits these trees provide to their neighbourhood and to the planet as a whole. All together, Islington’s trees store over 19,000 tonnes of carbon and continue to remove close to 1,373 tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere each year. They also play a vital role in water management, intercepting more than 56,393 cubic metres of stormwater annually and reducing surface water runoff by nearly 185,178 cubic metres. At the same time, the collection improves local air quality, filtering over 6,513 tonnes of pollutants from the environment every year.

Community engagement in action / Reporting issues

One of the portal’s most helpful features is the ability for residents to submit tree enquiries or report tree-related concerns. Using the map, they can indicate exactly which tree they wish to report, which helps the council identify and respond to the matter in a timely way. Since its introduction in August 2025, Islington Tree Map has had over 8 thousand unique page visits with 762 enquiries submitted through the portal.

The map’s mobile-friendly design makes it easy for external users to access. Islington has plans to add broader public engagements data, including Duty to Consult mapping and the ‘Where’s Olea’ game. These enhancements will help reach new audiences and give visitors a clearer view of the council work.

“It has been a pleasure to work with EzyTreev on this project. By making our tree data more transparent and accessible, the map has strengthened workflow, improved public communication, and become an essential tool in championing both the value and the need for trees.” – James Robinson Tillett, Planting and Engagement Manager at Islington Council

Rob Taylor, Ezytreev Product Manager, emphasised the collaborative effort: “This was a project where our developers and the Council’s own Digital Services/Communications experts worked extremely closely to define requirements and to reshape the EzyPortal product to meet the Council’s needs. The result is a user experience that fits seamlessly with the Council’s existing online presence and meets their specific needs, while preserving the ease of use and interactivity that makes ezyPortal such a popular product. The proactive approach taken by members of the Islington Tree Service is ensuring that the opportunities for increased community engagement are being realised, with site visitor numbers continuing to grow, and we are excited to see the portal being used in new and innovative ways.

By combining modern technology with a diverse tree collection, the Map fosters deeper public engagement, promotes awareness of ecosystem services, and highlights the essential role of trees in urban environments.

This project is powered by Ezytreev. Learn more about EzyPortal, the interactive platform used to deliver this project.

Take a closer look at Islington’s trees with their interactive Tree Map: https://trees.islington.gov.uk/Trees/Map