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| Proposed council policy has probably come too late to save this woodland off Hewitts Avenue from being felled to make way for a holiday park |
JUST weeks after its planning committee rubber-stamped the destruction of a woodland on the outskirts of Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire Council's cabinet will today discuss how to . . . protect woodland from destruction.
Members are being recommended to approve a Tree Strategy policy which states: "Healthy trees and woodlands will be protected, retained and managed to ensure healthy growth, development and species diversity.
"No tree will be felled or pruned without good reason."
It continues: "The council will engage with partners, the public and other landowners to raise awareness of tree protection, maintenance, planting and establishment of best practice."
The strategy has been drawn up in response to a national survey which revealed that tree canopy is lower in North East Lincolnshire than anywhere in England - which itself has far fewer trees than almost any other European country.
The five least green and leafy wards in the borough are said to be:
* East Marsh
* West Marsh
* Sidney Sussex
* Immingham
* Croft Baker
A report to this evening's meeting further states that children and young people should be involved both with plant trees and in helping to look after them.
It goes on: "Increasing our tree canopy cover and maintaining our existing trees has the potential to have positive implications for carbon capture and storage, reducing surface water flooding, for providing shade to buildings, people and livestock, for enhancing our parks and open spaces and for providing increased biodiversity.
It is also widely documented that an environment with trees improves physical and mental health and wellbeing.
"Trees in the landscape provide an economic advantage in terms of producing a high quality of environment attractive to potential developers, businesses, and residents."
What's not to like?
The report acknowledges that, for some people, trees have "negative consequences", and the council will need to be prepared for adverse reactions.
It also reveals that it has no current proposals for any major tree projects.
The Grimsby News says: It is encouraging that NELC is prepared to adopt a strategy aimed at both safeguarding existing trees and planting many more. But fine words butter no parsnips. There may be a 'strategy' but there is no action plan. What is more, as we saw last month, thoughtless decisions made by the council's planners mean that the borough's trees, even whole woodlands, are likely to remain highly vulnerable for the foreseeable future
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