Tree Festival

Leicester City Council are planning to cut down 21 mature trees in St George’s Churchyard, near Curve, as part of a planning application to open up the area. At the planning committee meeting on 10th January, Deputy City Mayor Adam Clarke said that the trees do not fit the Council’s ‘vision for the Cultural Quarter’. Campaigners have responded that the City Council need a new vision.

Civic Leicester and Leicester Friends of the Earth held a Tree Festival to show their vision of a culture that celebrates trees rather than cutting them down. They invited artists, poets, musicians, children and anyone who cares about trees to come and help create this vision. There was a programme of contributions that included Morris dancers, poetry readings, songs and a re-telling of 'The Lorax' by Dr. Seuss. Over 100 people attended, in spite of the cold and the rain, and the event was covered by BBC East Midlands Today and the Leicester Mercury.

The Council say they will replant two trees for every one that is lost. But two saplings are not the same as one mature tree that has taken decades to grow. And they only plan to replant eight trees in the churchyard – the rest will be scattered and so cannot provide the same sort of habitat for insects and birds. The lime trees that they want to cut down are pollinated by insects, particularly bees. This proposal represents an enormous loss of food for pollinators.

 

St George’s church is on the ‘Heritage At Risk Register’ and the Council say the trees are damaging the church. However, the only reference to damage in the planning documents is a leak caused by a blocked gutter. We have responded that gutters can be cleaned and that is not a reason for cutting down 21 trees. The event was promoted on Facebook. 

Press release: Call for better protection for city's trees

We have sent out the following press release about our response to the draft Tree Strategy. The decision on the application to cut down 21 trees in St George's Churchyard will be made next Wednesday and we encourage everyone to attend the meeting at 5:30 pm at City Hall on Charles Street. 

Leicester Friends of the Earth press release

Local campaigners call for better protection for city’s trees

Environmental campaigners have responded to the City Mayor’s request for comments on the new Tree Strategy by calling for better protection for the city’s trees.

Leicester Friends of the Earth have written to Peter Soulsby with their feedback. They have approved the commitment to replant trees that have to be removed but cautioned that the new strategy needs to focus more on the wildlife value of trees. They have also expressed their disappointment that the document only contains one brief mention of air pollution, when the role of green spaces in reducing air pollution is well understood.

Hannah Wakley said:

“We are glad that the City Council recognises the importance of trees in Leicester, both for wildlife and for people, but we want to see a much clearer commitment to protecting existing trees as the city develops.

Trees have been cut down in Victoria Park to expand the car park and now the Council want to remove 21 trees from St George’s Churchyard in the Cultural Quarter. Mature trees have enormous value for wildlife and they help to clean our air. They cannot be replaced by newly planted trees that will take 50 years to grow.

We are asking the City Council to sign up to the Woodland Trust’s Tree Charter, as the UK’s first Environment City, to demonstrate their commitment to protecting trees.”

The planning application for St George’s Churchyard will be considered by the planning committee on 10th January. It received 49 separate objections and a letter of objection signed by 20 local residents but the planning officer has still recommended it for approval.