Ten 4m Trees have been planted in Claremont Avenue today by SMBC (Green Department), following a request from local residents in February 2020, inspired following the Friends of Maghull and Districts (FOMD) various tree planting initiatives.
Process:
We approached Maghull’s Deputy Council Leader/local Borough Councillor John Sayers, who advised us that there was no section 106 funds available at that time and kindly agreed to support the tree planting along with his fellow Park Ward councillors – June Burns and Patricia O’Hanlon, utilising a small emergency budget to the sum of £1100, for five mature trees. We negotiated with Mersey Forest between October and February to match fund these trees, amounting to 10 trees in total. In September 2020, we canvassed all the houses between 77– 101 and received overwhelming support for planting trees. Due to the fact that the land belongs to Sefton Borough Council, the siting of the trees was assessed by a council tree officer (Steve Whiteside), in October, to ensure that the utilities above and below ground would not be interfered with and checked that they adhered to other protocols. He priced each tree at £220 which covers the cost of the tree, planting and several years of maintenance. Trees planted on Claremont include: Betula Pendula: 79, 87, 88/90, 95, 96. Acer Plantanoids Olmstead: 83, 90a, 94, 99, 100/101.
Many thanks to Dave (Foggy) and Liam (Sefton Green Department) who undertook the planting today and massive thanks to Ben Greenaway (Mersey Forest) and Cllr John Sayers for helping to support the funding.
Background: Claremont Avenue is one of many beautiful tree-lined roads in Maghull. However, only half of the avenue was populated with trees, seemingly because the rest of the road was built in the 1960s and it is quite a contrast. Since Maghull lost 50 mature trees following a risk assessment three years ago, the Maghull Town Council and FOMD have been working together with environmental partners, particularly Mersey Forest, in a huge drive to plant thousands of trees throughout the town. The aim of which is to respond to the climate emergency, increase biodiversity, reduce pollution and improve wellness. However, as you can see from the above process Street trees are essential alongside the tree whip planting initiatives (1) but also a difficult part of the process, not least because of the cost. Nevertheless, we are absolutely delighted and hope to plant further trees in another road before the end of the planting season in March, and build on this each year as a result of the increasing bonds we are developing with environment agencies.
Should anyone like to get involved in the next two social distancing tree planting events, please contact woodendcwp@gmail.com In the meantime, we are now in the second of three crowdfunding projects to improve the gateway into Maghull at Bobby’s Wood/Woodend (junction of Liverpool Road South and Northway). We have had an unprecedented response (2) with the community donating 150 shrubs to populate a 50x4m vacant border and would be delighted for further plants donations before the end of the dormant growth period in March. Our current crowdfunding campaign has raised £185 towards our target of £3-5,000 for new plants here, you can donate and watch a small introductory video at www.justgiving.com/crowdfund/woodend.
Many thanks,
FOMD
(1) https://www.facebook.com/groups/154530851941643/permalink/825069798221075 (2) https://www.facebook.com/…/permalink/822847888443266