Southend-on-Tree – Have your say on tree management across the Borough

August 19, 2020

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council is eager to hear from residents and interested groups about proposals for tree cover and management across the Borough for the next 10 years.

The consultation is now live and will run until Friday 9 October, and the council is seeking views on the draft tree policy document, which explains the current tree population and how it’s manage, inspected and maintained, and also proposals for future enhancements over the coming years. Locally, there is a lot of interest in trees, so the consultation explains how and why, or why not, trees are pruned, and why unfortunately sometimes they have to be removed.

Maintaining and enhancing the tree canopy cover in the Borough is important and the document sets out the council’s approach to ongoing tree planting and maintenance.

The draft policy can be found on the Your Say Southend webpage and residents and interested groups are being urged to take a look at the document and then fill out the accompanying survey.

Cllr Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment and planning, said: “Southend, although boasting seven Green Flag parks, is generally a very urbanised area, and managing our trees in such an environment raises many issues and considerations, so it is essential that we have tip-top and effective management of our tree population. We all know how important trees are to our own lives by providing clean air for us to breathe, but their benefits for fauna and wildlife habitats are also crucial.

“We know local people, quite rightly, want to be involved in what is a key council policy, and I am very keen for them to have their say to help us move Southend into a greener future. We want them to think as well about how they can plant trees in their own gardens so that together we create a tree canopy that is balanced and the best for the Borough. I urge everyone to take part in this consultation so that we can understand your views and work with you towards a carbon-neutral Southend by 2030.”

To view the consultation, please visit https://yoursay.southend.gov.uk/tree-policy-consultation

For information around suitable trees for your garden, please visit www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=117