3 Year Tree Planting Scheme

Morley Town Council

3 Year Tree Planting Scheme

2020 – 2023

Forms part of Morley Town Council’s

Climate Emergency Action Plan

Compiled by Councillors:

     Jim Aveyard

     Janet Harrison

Bev Kelly

Introduction

In November 2020 Morley Town Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Emergency.  This call to action is asking everybody to do their best to help reduce carbon emissions in order to reduce global warming.

Morley Town Council has undertaken to identify various carbon issues within the area where it may be possible to implement positive action towards carbon reduction.  Amongst these important issues, Morley Town Council has devised a tree-planting scheme to increase our overall tree canopy coverage.  This will feature as a long-term and invaluable project, in which we, our residents and Leeds City Council, can act positively towards this goal.

We know Morley residents are passionate about local parks and greenspaces and it has long been recognised that such green-space areas improve health and well-being for those who visit.  During the Covid-19 pandemic these spaces have proved invaluable for people to visit.

This report considers many areas where greenspaces can be responsibly planted with trees which will grow to a suitable size according to the surroundings.  The majority of trees will be 5 years old and be 2 or more metres in height bringing instant benefit to the area.  Most of the selected areas will have a single-specimen tree planted with plenty of space to allow growth over the life of the tree.

We have already been working with our colleagues at Leeds City Council Parks & Countryside, to plant an area on Nepshaw Lane North, where over 1,000 trees in the form of whips, have been planted.  In time, this will create a new natural woodland bringing benefit to local flora and fauna and for our residents to walk in and enjoy.

Together with Leeds City Council, we will plant further 1,500 trees in areas across Morley. Planting will take place during the trees’ dormant season (November to March) in three consecutive tranches from 2019/2022. Working together, we can aid Leeds City Council’s goal to extend the tree canopy of Leeds, standing currently at 17.1%, to an amazing 33% in the future.  In turn, the Morley area will form part of the Leeds White Rose Forest, an outstanding project which along with similar projects will replace woodland lost throughout the previous millennia.

This will be a legacy to those who follow us in the future.

The Tree Planting 3-Year Plan

Year 1

Planting of 282 trees in February-March 2020

Year 2

To plant 350 trees in February-March 2021

Year 3

It is proposed to plant at least 400 trees in February-March 2022 at various locations in an around Morley

Year 4

It is proposed to plant at least 500 trees in February-March 2023

by offering Morley residents suitably sized garden trees consisting of at least

12 tree species

Ongoing maintenance and any replacement of planted trees.

Working with professional partners.

Morley Town Council has used Beardsworths Ltd, who offer a wide range of     large native and smaller street-sized trees.  All trees are grown in their nurseries local to our environment here in West Yorkshire, ensuring the best possible start for our trees when planted in the same type of soil and enduring the same weather conditions.  This should allow successful, healthy growth of each tree planted within the Morley South and North Wards.

The trees we order are not lifted from their growing site until they are ready to be planted at sites around Morley.  Beardsworths’ experienced and dedicated staff lift the dormant trees no sooner than 24 hours before they are brought to Morley to plant out.  The trees supplied are approximately 4 metres in height and 16 to 18 cm in diameter.  They are all securely staked into their new position.

The transplantation results so far have been very encouraging as 98% of trees planted in 2019/20 have been successfully transplanted and are thriving.

We believe the actions taken are providing:

·  a health and well-being boost to the local environment

·  a contribution to the Leeds tree-planting scheme

·  a contribution to the Yorkshire White Rose Forest

·  responsible and cost-effective spending

… Working together to reduce Climate Change

and Improving the Environment …

Morley Town Council

Leeds City Council

Beardsworths Ltd

Dyemengate Landscapers