Political Viewpoint

POLITICAL Viewpoint by Richard Longstaff Green Party Councillor for Leigh Ward.

As we pass the equinox and officially move into autumn we not only noticed a change in the weather, more blustery and cooler, but also change in our natural environment.

Three weeks ago at Full Council I submitted and successfully moved my first motion, which was on the subject of Southend’s tree population and the way we manage, maintain and renew our trees.

This has been a long time coming since a few of us got together and set up Once-Upon-a-Tree (Southend) in June 2019. It was started after witnessing continued and spurious street tree removal across Leigh.

With the help of Google Street view we could quickly see the trees fully healthy and flourishing only a year or two prior to removal. It made absolutely no sense.

After a freedom of information request we learnt that almost 3,000 trees have been removed in just 10 years. This was a call to action that lead to me calling on resources from colleagues at Anglia Ruskin University and engaging with Chris Neilan, the revered Arboriculturalist who trained London Arboriculturists.

Chris is the creator of the CAVAT system, a method of financially evaluating the financial worth of street trees as assets of amenity value. And they are ‘each’ worth tens of thousands of pounds to the towns and cities they inhabit.

We then commissioned an expert Arboriculturalist from Somerset with a Masters degree in Arboriculture studies who undertook iTree calculations for us to establish the tree canopy cover and carbon sequestration of Southend, Rochford and Leigh.

These findings demonstrated that Southend tree canopy cover (TCC) was below minimum level of 15% set by the Forestry Commission for a coastal town, inland it’s 20%. Southend was 13% and Leigh was alarmingly just 10%. TCC is essential in protecting urban areas from the urban heat island effect (UHI), the phenomena whereby the thermal mass of concrete, tarmac, steel and glass can increase the ambient temperature of an urban area by up to 4-5°C.

TTC reduces UHI significantly and it’s worth bearing in mind that over 400,000 people across Europe died prematurely last year alone in the heat waves. A study, published in Nature Medicine, found that 3,469 people died in the UK between 20 May and 4 September 2022. Urban TCC would reduce this as our climate heats rapidly.

As the planet heats, our towns and cities globally need to build resilience to mitigate the effects of a heating climate. TTC therefore is not just an aesthetic whim, it is essential to the health and well-being of our city’s citizens and adds net biodiversity and habitat to our diminishing indigenous wildlife, down some 75% in my lifetime. It also enhances well-being in adding amenity value to streets and properties.

Therefore, the tree motion proposes to put a moratorium on tree felling until a collaborative working party is established to oversee the felling of every planned tree removal in Southend.

In addition we will create a methodology tool box, which will be in the form of a simple illustrated ‘aide memoir ’ essentially for tree and highways officers working on the ground to assistance in making difficult decisions for our urban trees. It will also give transparency to all officers and members within Council and for members of the public, in showing alternatives to tree removal – it’s a win-win for all.

Too often we see mature trees removed for spurious reasons when there are alternatives and an ability to manage a trees decline over time. Here replacement planting can be planned years in advance to offset a trees future planned removal.

With the help of Once-Upon-a-Tree we also aim to create a volunteer network of tree wardens, which Southend used to have many years ago, these wardens were the eyes and ears for residents in looking out for our urban trees.

We also want to encourage ward councillors to work with residents in identifying veteran trees and places to plant in the 17 wards across Southend.

Finally we need a comprehensive survey for thousands of locations across the city to be identified in readiness for mass tree planting. The next season is between mid-November 2023 and mid-March 2024. I’m determined to collaborate with all agencies to help make the tree planting season as productive and prolific as possible.

If you, your business, school, organisation, friends or family would like to assist with tree planting in any way shape or form, please do get in touch and join the growing community at Once-Upon-a-Tree. Visit: facebook.com/groups/2429851517246794/?locale=en_GB.

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