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Work for TreeBristol

Bristol is serious about doubling its tree canopy cover. As part of this ambition, TreeBristol are looking to appoint three people who can work as part of a team and with partners to deliver the new Tree Pips project.

According to your skills and experience you will teach primary school aged children about trees, develop tree planting plans with communities, run tree planting events and / or lead our TreeBristol streets project.

Richard Ennion, Horticultural Service Manager for Bristol Parks, tells us:

‘I am very pleased to announce that the council is now advertising three TreeBristol jobs, with a closing date of the 28th August. As discussed at the Parks Forum meeting on the 29th June, these officers will be working with partners to deliver the new Tree Pips project, which is a Mayoral initiative and part of the European Green Capital programme.’

For information about these jobs and how to apply, please see the link below to the Council Find a Job websitsite:

jobs.bristol.gov.uk – Tree_Bristol_Officer_x_3

Richard would be more than happy to talk with anyone who might be interested in these jobs, he also asks that you forward the details to anyone you think might be interested.

The Project Brief for the Tree Pips Project might be of interest whether or not you are applying for the job.

Find out more about TreeBristol at www.bristol.gov.uk/treebristol

Email Richard Ennion at richard.ennion@bristol.gov.uk

Parks Byelaws Consultation

Bristol City Council are currently running a consultation about byelaws for Bristol’s Parks.

The aim is to tackle anti-social and nuisance behaviours in the parks and allow residents to use and enjoy parks and green spaces and to feel safe in doing so.

The public consultation runs until Friday 13 September.

More details and links to an online survey as well as a pdf copy of the survey that you can print off are on the Council’s website via the link below.

www.bristol.gov.uk/parksbyelaws

Refurbished Old Bowling Green on Brandon Hill

Free Yoga, Tai Chi, and Keep Fit Classes.

This year marked the completion of the Friends of Brandon Hill Project to refurbish the Old Bowling Green. The project was Lottery Funded through the Community Spaces Programme.

The space has already been used for out door plays as part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival and now Friends of Brandon Hill have organised a series of Yoga, Tai Chi and Keep Fit Classes over the summer; details below:

Yoga

Led by Catherine Walker who teaches hatha yoga. A friendly and energetic teacher, her classes are suitable for beginners and those more familiar with yoga. They consist of easy-to-follow yoga poses, designed to increase strength and flexibility, with simple and advanced options. They will leave you feeling energised and refreshed. Mats will be provided.

Tuesday mornings 7.15am 30th July; 6th, 13th, 20th August
Contact: 07970 849984, yoga@flowyo.co.uk, t: @flow_yo

Tai Chi

Led by Ben Milton and the Bristol School of Tai Chi instructor team. Challenging for young and old. Long revered as an exercise to promote health, balance, and calm, Chen Style Tai Chi is challenging enough for both young and old. Initially done slowly, one learns grace and balance through a precise study of one’s own body and its movement within the space surrounding it. Later, movements can be done at any speed following one’s own intent, whether in class or in daily life.

Bring your friends and family along to practise together and enjoy a free lesson.

Sunday, 28th July; 11th, 25th August 13 10am

Saturday, 7th , 21st September 13 10am

Contact: 0117 9493955, taichi@bristoltaichi.com, www.bristoltaichi.com

Keep Fit

Led by personal trainer Vicki Hill. Vicki has crafted individual training schedules for clients throughout Bristol. For Brandon Hill she has developed training programmes for beginner, intermediate and advanced using the many feature of Brandon Hill to increase your fitness. These sessions will be your introduction to these programmes.
Sundays 9:30am and 10am from 4th August
4th August Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am
18th August Beginner 9:30am, Advanced 10am
1st September Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am
15th September Beginner 9:30am, Advanced 10am
29th September Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am

Green Flag Awards 2013

There are 12 Green Flag winners in Bristol this year.

The Green Flag Award Scheme covers the whole of the UK and recognises well-managed, high-quality green spaces. Any green space in the UK is eligible to win this award providing it is freely accessible to the public.

grennflag_community_rgb Parks Forum member Snuff Mills Action Group has for the second time been awarded the Green Flag Community Award. The Community award is for green spaces in the UK that are managed by voluntary and community groups.

In addition Bristol Parks has been awarded 11 Green Flags for parks throughout the City that it manages. Community involvement is an important part of the Green Flag Award scheme, so the various Parks Groups involved in these parks have played a major part in the City winning these awards.

The Green Flag winning parks in Bristol are:
The Downs – TroopersHill – which won their first flags in 2007
Queen Square & Blaise Castle Estate – 2008
Ashton Court Estate & St Paul’s Park – 2009
Netham Park – 2010
St Andrew’s Park – 2011
Canford Park, Greville Smyth Park and Redcatch Park – 2012

The certificates for the 11 parks were presented by Mayor George Ferguson at Blaise Castle Estate this morning.

To fly a Green Flag a park has to meet the following criteria:

1. A welcoming place
2. Healthy, safe and secure
3. Clean and well maintained
4. Sustainability
5. Conservation and heritage
6. Community involvement
7. Marketing
8. Management

To see a more detailed description of the criteria visit the Green Flag Award website.

The Green Flag Award Scheme is licenced to Keep Britain Tidy by Communities and Local Government (DCLG) who own the green Flag Award Scheme. The scheme was set up in 1996.

A full list of 2013/14 winners on the Keep Britain Tidy website: Green Flag Awards 2013

Keep Britain Tidy press release: Another record-breaking year for Green Flag Awards

Bristol City Council Green Flag Page: www.bristol.gov.uk/greenflagparks

A Plea for Trees

As you may have noticed some of the trees we have planted this year and even in previous years are struggling in this hot weather. We have been increasing our watering rounds so the contractors are working flat out to ensure all the recently planted trees are being watered once a week.

However, if you have a few minutes and a handy bucket or watering-can to spare, the extra water will make a big difference to the trees during this hot weather.

Thank you

TreeBristol

Welcome

to the Bristol Parks Forum Website

Below are posts giving the latest news on various subjects of interest to Park Forum members.

Explore the rest of the site for information about the Forum and Bristol’s parks and green spaces.

Last funding round opens for Big Tree Plant

The sixth and final round of funding for a national campaign that aims to plant one million trees by 2015 has opened and organisations have until 30 August 2013 to apply.

The Big Tree Plant encourages people and communities to plant more trees in England’s towns, cities and neighbourhoods. Funding is available to any community and voluntary group, or other non-profit organisations that are keen to establish a community-led tree planting project.

Groups working in deprived areas where trees would help to improve residents’ quality of life are strongly encouraged to apply. The advice phone line is 0800 856 7984.

More information is also available at
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/england-bigtreeplant

Town & Village Green Update

The Public Rights of Way & Greens (PROWG) committee met on Monday 8th July. They agreed to ignore the inspector’s view on the Laundry Field and allow the change to the application area so that the agreement could go ahead, there is an article from the Bristol Post here

The BPF committee submitted a statement to the meeting that can be seen here

The committee also considered Stoke Lodge and agreed to make a final decision at its next meeting in October as reported here

Following the recent changes to TGV legislation through the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013 a new Consultation on registration of new town or village greens runs until Monday 19 August 2013 and can be read here

The new Act has restricted the right to apply for land to be a TGV where it has been listed for development ot a planning application has been submitted for the land. The consultation considers extending the restrictions where land is part of a neighbourhood planning process.

National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces

Bristol Parks Forum is a member of the National Federation of Parks and Green Spaces (NFPGS) which is the federation of area forums and networks of local Friends and User groups for Britain’s green spaces. Roland represents the BPF at the NFPGS

Until earlier this year the NFPGS was supported by the charity GreenSpace. Sadly that charity has been wound up, however the NFPGS will continue and is currently talking to other charities and groups who might be able to provide support.

NFPGS Website Home page – www.natfedparks.org.uk

Links to websites of other NFPGS Members

NFPGS leaflets

Neighbourhood Engagement Team

Area Environment Officers – the 1st point of contact for Park Groups at BCC

Environment and Leisure Services introduced Area Environment Officers from the 1st November 2011. There are seven Area Environment Officer posts, each covering a different area of the city.

The links below are to pdf documents giving more information.

Area Environment Officers – Map with names & contact details – April 2013

Neighbourhood Engagement Team Overview – October 2011

Neighbourhood Engagement Team – Questions & Answers – October 2011