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Re-thinking Armada Way

With felling currently paused while options are investigated, Plymouth Tree Partnership members with relevant experience and qualifications have identified several modifications that will retain many more of the existing trees and deliver a better result. The report has been sent to Plymouth City Council and please take time to read it here.

Tree Warden training talk – this Thursday, 15th December
The next talk in the series by professional arboriculturist, Dom Scanlon, will be about threats to tree health. It is primarily for Tree Wardens although others who would like to become involved are also welcome. The talk will be in the University’s Sustainability Hub, Kirkby Lodge and the room will be open from 6.45 pm for a prompt start at 7.00pm. The talk will finish at 9.00pm with a refreshment interval at half time.
The Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest is supporting this programme of learning and development but additional funding is still required. It means that, apart from Tree Wardens and University students, attendees will be asked to make a donation towards the cost of the course

New book – For the Love of Trees
This book explores the intense feelings that people have for trees with its contributors coming from Plymouth and beyond. Amply illustrated with over 150 colour photographs, it will resonate with tree lovers everywhere and make an ideal Christmas present priced at £12. For this week only it is available at Chris Robinson’s cabin in the middle aisle of the Christmas Market. Books can also be posted for an additional £2.50 per copy with payment by bank transfer - email orders to glo_riajune@hotmail.co.uk

Before and after
Grass competition is a serious problem when getting young trees established so well done to Samantha Trewella for meticulously tending the new trees in Astor Park. After weeding, she laid cardboard to inhibit new growth and then added chopped-up leaves to feed the soil and aid water retention. It’s a brilliant result and many thanks for your hard work, Samantha.

Asking the right questions
Plymouth City Council launched an online form to report tree problems in 2016 when customers could either select “Tree has fallen” or “Tree needs pruning”. In real life, problems are more complicated and tree managers need more information to understand what the trouble really is. Staff in the Natural Infrastructure Team spent some time revising the online form and it is interesting to read how they went about it in this article. It comes from the Arboricultural Association’s latest magazine.

Tree of trees
One small part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee was the Tree of Trees sculpture in front of Buckingham Palace which was comprised of 350 saplings. After the Jubilee, each of the saplings was potted on and given to community groups across the UK. Keyham Green Place Community Centre was one of those lucky enough to receive a sapling and a common alder, Alnus glutinosa, was planted on 5th December with the Lord Lieutenant of Devon and the Lord Mayor of Plymouth present.

The Felling – tonight at 7.30pm!
Sheffield has become a byword for unthinking approaches to tree management and this film is a first-hand account of how determined residents succeeded in forcing their city council to stop felling healthy street trees. Screened by Plymouth Arts Cinema, it will be introduced by members of the STRAW campaign to Save the TRees of Armada Way. Details and how to book are here: https://plymouthartscinema.org/whats-on/the-felling-12a/

Plymouth Tree Partnership Trustees wish all our readers a joyful and peaceful Christmas.