New exhibition imagines greener future for Wales’ most tree-deprived communities

A new community-led exhibition will invite visitors to imagine how one of Wales’ most densely populated urban areas could be transformed by more trees and green spaces.

Treescapism, created with the Splott community, will invite visitors to imagine a greener, healthier future for one of the UK’s most tree-deprived urban areas.

The free exhibition will take place at Splott Community Volunteers on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 June, bringing together stories and artworks created by the local community.

Curated by artistic collective Rewired Life, the immersive exhibition will reimagine Wales’ urban future as one in which trees, green spaces and their benefits are available to everyone, regardless of where they live.

The exhibition follows a new warning from Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales, that communities across the country are living in “tree deserts”.

In these areas, a critical lack of urban tree cover is leaving people more exposed to air pollution, extreme heat and poor physical and mental health.

While trees are often seen as attractive additions to towns and cities, Coed Cadw says they should be treated as essential infrastructure.

Urban trees can help to clean the air, reduce flood risk, provide shade during periods of extreme heat, boost biodiversity and improve people’s wellbeing.

However, the Tree Equity Score tool, developed by the Woodland Trust, shows that residents of Splott have some of the lowest access to trees anywhere in the UK and are disproportionately affected by environmental hazards.

The exhibition will explore what a greener Splott could look and feel like, placing the voices and ideas of local people at the heart of the conversation.

During a previous heatwave, thermal-imaging research commissioned by the Woodland Trust recorded surface temperatures beneath an urban tree in the neighbouring community of Adamsdown that were up to 20°C cooler than the surrounding area in direct sunlight.

Jacinta Challinor, tree equity lead for Coed Cadw, said: “Everyone should be able to experience the benefits that trees bring to our everyday lives, but at the moment, those benefits are not shared equally. In some communities, a lack of trees means hotter streets, dirtier air and fewer opportunities to spend time in green spaces.

“Treescapism is about looking beyond the statistics and asking people in Splott to help imagine something better: a greener, healthier and more resilient neighbourhood, shaped by the community that lives there.

“Trees in our towns and cities are not decorative extras. They are vital infrastructure, and access to them should not depend on your postcode.”

Ahead of the public opening, invited guests and stakeholders will attend a private preview of the exhibition on Thursday 25th June.

Treescapism will be open from 10am–6pm on Friday 26 June and 10am–4.30pm on Saturday 27 June. Splott Community Volunteers is located at Splott Road, Cardiff, CF24 2BZ.

The exhibition is free to attend, and visitors do not need to book in advance. Under-18s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

To find out more about the exhibition, visit the Woodland Trust site here. More information about the research being done in Cardiff is available here.