Star date: 10th May 2019

TREES BEING CHOPPED DOWN FOR NEW BUILDS

A Concerned Salford Resident has issued a plea to Salford City Council to protect more trees in the city, highlighting areas around St Philips Church, off Chapel Street, and around Canon Green Court, M3, in particular.

"I can say, as someone who has suffered with mental health issues most of my life, how much of a lifeline the local trees are to my personal wellbeing and the good they do for us all in this area in so many ways" he writes.

Full details here...

Below we reprint a letter to Salford City Council from a Concerned Resident on the fate of the city's fast disappearing trees. He would like everyone to read it and respond...

"I live in Trinity, Salford M3, and have done for 13 years. I am really concerned about the old trees in the area that are being chopped down to make way for new builds...I can say, as someone who has suffered with mental health issues most of my life (mainly depression), how much of a lifeline the local trees are to my personal wellbeing and the good they do for us all in this area in so many ways.

I'll always remember the time I went to the Civic Centre in Swinton to register to vote and fell in love with the city even more because of the inscription on the wall in the main reception waiting area that says "60% Green Space, 18 sq miles of countryside and parks, 6 waterways, 30 miles of rivers and canals, 112 ponds and lakes, 14 waterway bridges, Britain's largest inland waterway, a world class arts and theatre complex attracting over 1,000,000 visitors a year, a history stretching back to 923 AD"… and so on. That always remained in my heart as the core of a city I am proud to call home.

The two most recent sites where old trees were chopped down is adjacent to a new open car park opposite St. Philips Church. I counted the rings on the stumps that remain and they were all 25 years old. It cut like a knife to see they had been removed and I can't see why? It's just an open car park that's been created from the brownfield land behind them. There was no consultation beforehand either; I'm not sure if there's supposed to be or not? They didn't seem to be obstructing (unless a survey has deemed so). They were the same type of tree the massive sculpture beside the Church was created in honour of.

The other site was on Blackfriars Road opposite the Renault garage. That removal of the tall trees there to me was criminal. Any trees that are so close to the city that act as the first line of defence should be preserved and protected really due to the massive ecological benefits. The skinny young trees you see planted take so long to grow and unfortunately most get vandalised before they establish.

There is another site next to the Old Victoria Theatre opposite Mocha. I am really worried about as it looks like prime real estate for developers. I went along to take some photographs and enjoy the space last week and it really is a special place that could even be utilised by the local schools to have outdoor forest/woodland/nature lessons.

I have tried to have a look at upcoming works on the council website but they're not very lay person friendly and after the fact information.I also contacted a tree group and they provided the following information:

'Trees, especially large canopy trees are very important in an urban context because they provide so many benefits. In particular their visual amenity is very important from a mental health perspective as they are proven to have a calming effect on people. Trees also where located next to busy roads help to reduce or disperse the amount of pollution reaching communities that are situated behind and around them. They can also help to shield the source of noise pollution which can help to reduce stress levels for adjacent residents.

'Trees are also very important from a climate change resilience perspective. They are instrumental in helping to reduce our vulnerability to heat waves (especially for children and older people) as they cool the air by shading and evapo-transpiration. They also intercept rain water on their leaves and branches and allow more water to infiltrate into the ground below them by virtue of the increased permeability created by their root system. This is very important from a surface water flooding perspective, as this can help to reduce the likelihood of flash flooding following a heavy rainfall event and may also help to reduce pollution into adjacent water courses by reducing the amount of rain watering the combined sewer system.'

As there is so much focus on climate change (which we see first-hand with all the local flooding) and how important trees are, not only to us but the delicate insect and wildlife communities that also call Salford home. It's our duty to protect them too as they don't have a voice, and protecting the trees and green spaces that are already here is even more important. The amount of wildlife in this area is testament to them all.

I guess what I am asking for is awareness of upcoming builds/works in this immediate area, assurances to consult the public and make it clear to all constituents, well in advance, of any existing green spaces that are being considered for new builds or the like. So we have our say in protecting our forest city.

I dread to see any more trees going for the sake of money and us all regretting it in the future when we have a chance now, with all the information that's available to us, to avoid that for our future generations and local wildlife.

Are you able to help?

Kindest regards,

Concerned Resident X