I regularly hear pleas from residents to protect trees and to plant more.There are campaign and school groups ready and willing.
York has just five per cent tree coverage; we need this to be at least doubled. Friends of the Earth advises doubling tree cover across the UK to draw down 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, around 10 per cent of UK emissions. Trees also support hundreds of biodiverse species.
It is with a heavy heart that I have to report that some conifers, a landmark on Bishopthorpe Road, are designated for felling. They cannot be looked after and it is a tragedy of their fateful planting years ago.
We must find more space for trees in York and get the right trees in the right place. Every Green vote very much counts as the only way of making the other parties take the climate emergency seriously.
Cllr Rosie Baker,
Percy Mews, York
Let’s scrap chainsaws and ‘wild’ The Groves
In recent times there has been much talk of greening the Groves by planting trees.
Near my flat is a plain brick wall - rather ugly and not part of any building. It was covered in lovely dark green ivy providing shelter for insects and birds and also flowers for insects. Then a man from the council came along with a chainsaw and chopped it down. He then went on to saw the tops off all the shrubs that brighten up the place.
I realise that maybe the council can no longer afford proper gardeners who can prune shrubs and trim ivy when needed. I suggest they economise completely and dispense with the noisy polluting chainsaw operatives and think about wilding the Groves. Or asking for volunteer gardeners to care for the plants.
Tina Anderson, Garden Street, York
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