1. Promoting Amenity
Monitor the health of the council’s trees.
| Measured By |
Lead Responsibility |
Current Position |
| Inspection and survey programme. |
T&W |
Schools, Highway, Housing and Parks tree stock inspections undertaken to identify works required to manage the health of the tree stock.
- 2019/20 - 194 surveys completed
- 2020/21 - 174 surveys completed.
This equates to 29% of all of the sites with trees were surveyed (total 1,281 sites). Sites include 208 parks, 185 housing transects, 642 highway transects etc. |
| Continue to expand the council’s tree stock |
T&W |
Replacement planting of heavy stock has been undertaken in the highway,housing areas and parks and open spaces, along with new developments.
- 2019/20 - 445 trees were planted
- 2020/21 - 303 trees were planted
Examples:
- 23 Watermead Memorial Walk
- 16 Bede Park avenue
- 19 Victoria Park new band stand area
|
| Engage a team of volunteer Tree Wardens |
T&W |
In partnership with The Tree Council an initial 15 Tree Wardens have been established and registered as a constituted group, trained to assess and report issues and assist in tree planting and establishment, eg. early identification of Ash Die Back etc. |
Maintain trees with the aim of reducing nuisance, hazard and complaint
| Measured by |
Lead responsibility |
Current position |
| Level of complaints. |
T&W |
Formal complaints received:
No complaints have been upheld by the LG Ombudsman. |
| Tree inspection programme to identify and eliminate potential risk. |
T&W |
Visual tree inspection regime as ref 1 above: Sites inspection frequency 3 – 7 years based on potential risk depending on location: Tree inspection programme to identify and eliminate potential risk. Maintain inventory register for each tree on Ezytreev database. |
| Maintain inventory register for each tree on Ezytreev database. |
T&W |
This identifies the condition and health of the tree stock and any impact the whole tree, might provide in terms of nuisance, hazard and complaint, typical examples being, obstruction of highway/street lamp, removal of deadwood, tree disease and potential tree failure, etc. |
| Aim for two thirds of available budget to be targeted on proactive maintenance, rather than emergency works. |
T&W |
Annual programme of works identified following site surveys with the aim to manage the stock in a safe and healthy condition and reduce the reliance on emergency reaction works.
2019/20
- Reactive spend £299k (47%)
- Proactive spend £341k (53%)
2020/21
- Reactive spend £252k (45%)
- Proactive spend £305k (55%)
Reactive spend impacted by storm frequency: Storms played a factor during the life of the Tree Strategy, with 14 recorded included Storm Hannah, Storm Ciara, Storm Francis and Storm Ellen being the most notable of the past 50 years and resulting in tree damage and losses. It is important to note with Climate Change the likelihood for storms to disrupt planned survey work is likely to increase. In addition COVID-19 brought its own disruption during 2020. |
Use a variety of species and cultivars.
| Measured By |
Lead responsibility |
Current position |
| Planting plans |
T&W |
Tree species are chosen to meet the suitability to location being planted using a range of native trees but also recognising that exotic trees have a place in the landscape.
e.g. Watermead memorial trail predominantly native tree stock utilised, Bede Park Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ (Sweet gum), planted due to its fastigiate form, i.e. will have minimal impact on area CCTV coverage. |
| Promote the wide selection of species and cultivars used at key parks |
P&OS |
Development of a tree trail template which can be downloaded or used as an App to showcase and promote core species across a site encouraging the user to visit the whole site. Abbey Park developed as a trial. |
Reduce problems that can be associated with the presence of trees when making decisions about planting design and the positioning of trees in the landscape.
| Measured By |
Lead Responsibility |
Current Position |
| Right tree right place |
T&W Planning |
Early engagement between planning team and developer as part of the design process to build in tree stock which provides appropriate amenity suitable for the location. e.g. Ashton Green, green infrastructure planning with Morris Homes. 93 tree’s planted in phase one along with 368 hedgerow whips. |
Purchase planting stock of good quality and prepare an underground environment that is conducive to good tree growth.
| Measured By |
Lead Responsibility |
Current Position |
| Procurement policy to ensure quality and scope of species. |
T&W |
Tender developed for a procurement exercise to establish a framework contract for the supply of a range of species and cultivars to meet the needs of the council. |
| Successful establishment of heavy tree stock. |
T&W |
Preparation of suitable tree pits with appropriate soil conditioner, drainage and irrigation systems to ensure successful establishment.
2019/20
2020/21
Any establishment failures are replanted within the following planting season. |