Planting in preparation for a greener tomorrow

NEW trees were planted in a Sheffield park as part of a campaign to make the city greener.
Conservation experts are worried the city is losing its urban forest and have published a report detailing the decline.

It is estimated around 35,000 - or 70 per cent - of the city's trees will be lost over the next 40 years and action needs to be taken to reduce the impact of this loss.

But it can take as long as 40 years for newly-planted trees to become established and make a significant contribution to the environment.

The report focuses on the Broomhill, Central and Nether Edge areas of the city and surveyed more than 50,000 trees in council and private ownership.

Council bosses launched the report with a tree planting session at the South Yorkshire Wood Fair in Endcliffe Park.

Coun Shaffaq Mohammed, the council's cabinet member for environment, said: "We are keen to work with people in the local community to plan future tree planting and to identify the best locations where this can happen successfully.

"We also want to work with local schools to raise awareness of the importance of trees to the environment and to organise a support programme to advise people on the best species for planting in the area and how to maintain the trees properly."

Coun Mohammed planted the first of six London Plane trees in Endcliffe Park.

Suggestions for planting locations may be sent in to Tim Shortland in the council's Parks and Countryside Service at Meersbrook Park, Brook Road, Sheffield, S8 9FL or by telephoning 0114 2734190.

Source: Sheffield Star
Location: Sheffield

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