Taken from a park bench overlooking canopy of trees: Humberstone ParkBy Chantelle Roberts
National tree week has marked the start of a new strategy to maintain and preserve the beautiful trees in Leicester.
Leicester City Mayor Peter Soulsby, has launched Leicester’s first tree strategy with Deputy Mayor Adam Clarke.
National tree week this year is from November 24 to December 2. Originally started in 1975 by the Tree Council, its aim was to raise awareness after the devastating Dutch Elm disease plagued millions of trees across the UK.
Mayor Soulsby tweeted: “Today I’ve launched a new tree strategy for Leicester with Adam Clarke, guiding the management of our ‘urban forest.”
Deputy Mayor Clarke added: “Our city’s tree canopy covers about 1,200 hectares […] about half of this is owned & managed by the city council – that’s about 150,000 trees – many in our brilliant parks.
“And the 150,000 figure doesn’t include woodlands in the council’s ownership!”
The introduction of the new strategy has been put in place with the aim to sustain and increase the number of trees and improve the quality of the city’s trees.
National tree week marks a time to appreciate our woods and the Tree Council, a UK charity, working to educate communities and influence decision makers: encourage all nature lovers to get their hands dirty and “get planting”.
Around 16 per cent of the city is covered with trees, part of the number of which the council spends around £2million each year on, planting, protecting and managing.
In the new proposal, more than one replacement tree will be planted for any tree that is felled. Mayor Soulsby hopes this will help maintain and protect the legacy of the so far, 107 hectares of woodland that the council manages to date.
To appreciate some of Leicester’s outstanding outdoors, take a visit to any of Leicester’s parks: Castle Hill Country Park, Bradgate Park, Humberstone Park, Abbey Park, Knighton Park.
For more information on Leicester’s new plans to preserve our trees, visit Leicester.gov.uk/treestrategy.
