Leicester Tree Strategy Review

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.	Parks & Open Spaces	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 2022/23 include: Tiny Forest, in partnership with Earthwatch. 600 trees planted in a space the size of a tennis court, 7,200 small trees planted at 12 schools. Saving Saffron Brook scheme in partnership with the Woodland Trust planted 2,480 small trees.

Measured by

Lead responsibility

Current position

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

Parks & Open Spaces

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 2022/23 include:

Tiny Forest, in partnership with Earthwatch. 600 trees planted in a space the size of a tennis court, 7,200 small trees planted at 12 schools.

Saving Saffron Brook scheme in partnership with the Woodland Trust planted 2,480 small 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.

Measured by	Lead responsibility	Current position
Number of trees identified and surveyed.	Nature Conservation / Trees and Woodlands Team	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 Saffron Brook project was undertaken to improve the condition of woodland Local Wildlife Sites, 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	Planning / Trees and Woodlands Team	Examples of schemes utilising British native tree stock, including Oak, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Field Maple, Cherry and Hawthorn: Western Park project planting. Tiny Forest planting at 12 schools. Saving Saffron Brook project within Knighton Spinney and Washbrook Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s).

Measured by

Lead responsibility

Current position

Species type and quantities

Planning / Trees and Woodlands Team

Examples of schemes utilising British native tree stock, including Oak, Silver Birch, Hornbeam, Field Maple, Cherry and Hawthorn:

Western Park project planting.

Tiny Forest planting at 12 schools.

Saving Saffron Brook project within Knighton Spinney and Washbrook Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s).

Protect and conserve protected or rare species through appropriate compensation when loss cannot be avoided

Measured by	Lead responsibility	Current position
Staff training. Biodiversity action plan	Nature Conservation / Trees and Woodlands Team	Tree inspection prior to felling to determine presence of protected bat species. The team are LANTRA trained to undertake bat inspections and utilise specialist equipment, such as endoscope investigations. Trees and woodlands team work closely with the Nature Conservation team to ensure the Biodiversity Action Plan is adhered to, and the presence of protected species checks have been undertaken (e.g. to protect nesting birds, bats, badgers, and newts). Where protected species habitats are removed due to essential works, such as ash dieback fells, mitigation works will be implemented to limit the impact (e.g. installation of bat boxes in remaining trees).

Objective 1. Promoting amenity Objective 3. Responding to global obligations