Agenda item

Report to follow.

Officers introduced the report highlighting the Council’s ambition for increased tree planting. Challenges to planting include  available land, buried utilities and proximity to highway/built assets.  Other challenges noted were ongoing maintenance requirements, which may be exacerbated due to climate change, as well as stakeholders not always being happy to have new trees near them. Officers confirmed that in relation to tree removals, the Council only remove dying or dangerous trees. They highlighted that the Council had a net gain on the number of trees in the city and noted the work to secure funding which had allowed for tree planting.

The Committee discussed the challenges associated with identifying sites for tree planting and the increased challenge of identifying sites in urban areas. Officers noted that the Council had been opportunistic in identifying sites for planting with the funding received and that in the longer-term, solutions would need to be identified for planting in the most challenging locations. Members enquired about whether the Council worked with partner organisations who might have ambition or a requirement for planting, such as the Environment Agency or Yorkshire Water. Officers confirmed that the Council already worked in partnership regarding its tree planting programmes but asked that members flag any specific issues or opportunities they are aware of.

Members highlighted work undertaken at a Council Ward level around tree planting and wondered whether, should a Ward wish to use its funding for planting, a joint ordering of trees would be possible and more cost effective. Officers confirmed that the Council usually completed orders around August and that information could be shared with Councillors to highlight the opportunity to access tree orders. The Committee also discussed trees on private land and requested that Councillors be reminded on how the Tree Protection Order process worked.

The Committee enquired about whether funding for new trees included funding for maintaining those new trees. Officers confirmed that each funding scheme would be different but that these would include a period of maintenance funding, including watering. Officers confirmed to members that they did not have specific guidance for residents who might want to water new trees near their home but included that it would be difficult to over water these new trees, so residents were welcome to support trees maintenance. Members enquired about the capacity within the Council for maintenance, officers noted that the maintenance team did not have spare capacity, but that funding was fundamentally an Executive decision. They noted that, ultimately, the amount of maintenance required depended largely on the environment that trees were planted in. Officers also highlighted to Members the Council’s Arboricultural Policy for York: https://www.york.gov.uk/downloads/download/664/arboricultural-policy-for-york.

 Members asked about the wider benefits from additional tree planting. It was confirmed that trees improve air quality, usually very localised around the tree itself, and planting was usually harder in areas of worse air quality as this was usually built-up urban areas. Members enquired about whether tree planting could have positive affects for areas with a high-water table that floods. Officers noted that they would always review an area for whether planting was possible and follow the right tree right place principal. The Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency welcomed Councillors to always come forward with sites they believed could benefit from planting for the team to review suitability.

Resolved:

                      i.         To thank tree planting volunteers across the city;

                    ii.         To request that the Executive Member for Environment and Climate Emergency write to government to request a review of policies impacting tree planting on roadways to make this easier;

                   iii.         To encourage the Council to work closer with partner organisations to increase the level of tree planting in the city;

                  iv.         To request that officers provide Councillors with information regarding how to use Ward funding if wards wish to do so to join in on tree orders and provide Councillors with information on how to apply for a Tree Protection Order.

Reason:    To encourage tree planting and maintenance in the city.