Leicester City Council

2. Promoting habitat and wildlife

Encourage the planting and management of woodland and groups of trees.

Measured by	Lead responsibility	Current position
Identify sites with scope for planting of woodland groups and seek funding to support projects.	P&OS	Climate Woods group with representatives from a range of services meet several times a year, scoping opportunities for mass tree planting and utilising suitable schemes. Successful projects in 2021/22 include: Trees for Cities, in partnership with this charity, 3416 small trees were planted in Appleton Park and 905 small trees in Monks Rest Gardens. Urban Tree Challenge, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, 70 large trees planted at 7 locations within the city. Local Authorities Treescape Fund, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, 1875 small trees, 85 large trees & 60 fruit trees planted at Western Park. Tiny Forest, in partnership with Earthwatch, 600 trees planted in a space the size of a tennis court. 4200 small trees planted at 7 schools.

Measured by

Lead responsibility

Current position

Identify sites with scope for planting of woodland groups and seek funding to support projects.

P&OS

Climate Woods group with representatives from a range of services meet several times a year, scoping opportunities for mass tree planting and utilising suitable schemes. Successful projects in 2021/22 include:

Trees for Cities, in partnership with this charity, 3416 small trees were planted in Appleton Park and 905 small trees in Monks Rest Gardens.

Urban Tree Challenge, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, 70 large trees planted at 7 locations within the city.

Local Authorities Treescape Fund, in partnership with the Forestry Commission, 1875 small trees, 85 large trees & 60 fruit trees planted at Western Park.

Tiny Forest, in partnership with Earthwatch, 600 trees planted in a space the size of a tennis court. 4200 small trees planted at 7 schools.

Where it is compatible with amenity, seek to retain old tree stock, including trees in decline and manage them in a way that promotes their value to wildlife.

Measured by	Lead responsibility	Current position
Number of trees identified and surveyed.	Nature Conservation	There are 177 mature trees which meet the Local Wildlife Site criteria for designation due to the size (girth) generally being over 3.77m and containing features likely to be of value for wildlife such as cracks, fissures and crevices. Where practicable large standing dead trunks (habitat poles) are retained to support wildlife, as they are valuable eco systems. The Saving the Saffron Brook project aims to improve the condition of the woodland Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) within the catchment, improving structural diversity via selective thinning and coppicing works, along with woodland creation and tree species enrichment within Knighton Spinney and Washbrook Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s).

Measured by

Lead responsibility

Current position

Number of trees identified and surveyed.

Nature Conservation

There are 177 mature trees which meet the Local Wildlife Site criteria for designation due to the size (girth) generally being over 3.77m and containing features likely to be of value for wildlife such as cracks, fissures and crevices.

Where practicable large standing dead trunks (habitat poles) are retained to support wildlife, as they are valuable eco systems.

The Saving the Saffron Brook project aims to improve the condition of the woodland Local Wildlife Sites (LWS) within the catchment, improving structural diversity via selective thinning and coppicing works, along with woodland creation and tree species enrichment within Knighton Spinney and Washbrook Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s).

Favour native trees over exotics when specifying, planning and implementing new planting

Measured by	Lead responsibility	Current position
Species type and quantities	T&W/Planning	Examples of schemes utilising British native tree stock, including oak, silver birch, hornbeam, field maple, cherry & hawthorn. Western Park Sanitation works replacement planting Local Authorities Treescape Fund planting at Western Park Trees for Cities planting at Appleton Park & Monks Rest Gardens Urban Tree Challenge Fund at 7 locations Tiny Forest planting at 7 schools

Measured by

Lead responsibility

Current position

Species type and quantities

T&W/Planning

Examples of schemes utilising British native tree stock, including oak, silver birch, hornbeam, field maple, cherry & hawthorn.

Western Park Sanitation works replacement planting

Local Authorities Treescape Fund planting at Western Park

Trees for Cities planting at Appleton Park & Monks Rest Gardens

Urban Tree Challenge Fund at 7 locations

Tiny Forest planting at 7 schools

Leicester Tree Strategy Review

2. Promoting habitat and wildlife

Encourage the planting and management of woodland and groups of trees.

Where it is compatible with amenity, seek to retain old tree stock, including trees in decline and manage them in a way that promotes their value to wildlife.

Favour native trees over exotics when specifying, planning and implementing new planting