TreePips Update

TreePipsLogoMellie May from Tree Pips gave an update on the project at the Parks Forum meeting on 12th April.

Copies of the information she distributed are available via the links below. This is the information that is being sent to all schools in Bristol to inform them about the project. The aim is for every school child to be involved with planting a tree, giving a potential for planting 36,000 trees.

Introducing TreePips (includes contact details)

TreePips FAQs

Tree Planting Off School Grounds with the Tree Pips Team

As all the schools cannot accommodate the number of trees they would like to plant, the team will be looking to plant in local green spaces – parks, green verges etc. If there are areas where you would like to see more trees, please contact the TreePips team, to discuss potential planting plans.

On the Monday after our meeting Mellie presented a sample lesson to the Tree Forum (who were mostly well behaved) to give a feel for the important educational part of the project. The link below gives a list of lesson plans that TreePips are offering to schools. This is a work in progress, and will be added to throughout the duration of the project. It is also intended to add resources to the BCC website so teachers can continue to teach children about trees long after the project ends.

TreePips Educational Topics

If anyone would like to offer suggestions on topics to teach, the team are open to ideas and will gratefully accept any contributions.

TreePips are in the process of setting up their website at www.bristol.gov.uk/treepips and you can follow them at twitter.com/TreePips.

Other news about tree planting in Bristol, including how you can sponsor a tree is available at www.bristol.gov.uk/treebristol

The Tree Forum website is at www.euronova.co.uk/BristolTreeForum.htm

Tree PiPS Planting Events

treebristolThere will be a launch event for the Tree PiPS project at Oasis Academy Bank Leaze on 25th February. This will be a closed event for the school but will be followed by a public event on Thursday 27th at Newquay Road Playground and then further tree planting events in March.

Tree PiPS will plant 36,000 trees across Bristol over the next three years by involving all Bristol’s primary school aged children in a tree-based education programme leading to each child planting a tree. They will be working with communities and partners to see these trees planted in school grounds, green spaces, streets and front gardens.

Public events start at 10am and run until the trees have been planted. Tree PiPS provide all the trees, tools and guidance you will need. Wear warm waterproof clothing and stout footwear.

Dates and venues:

  • Thursday 27 February 2014 – Newquay Road childrens’ playground, Knowle, Meeting point: in the playground off Newquay Road
  • Monday 3 March 2014 – Old Quarry Park, Henleaze, Meeting point: in the park off Henleaze Road entrance
  • Tuesday 4 March – St Augustine’s Park, Whitchurch Park, Meeting point: near the childrens’ playground in the north end of the park
  • Wednesday 5 March – Doncaster Road open space, Southmead, Meeting point near the childrens’ playground, access from Doncaster Road or Greystoke Avenue
  • Thursday 6 March – Redland Green, Redland, Meeting point : Redland Green Farm (Redland Green allotment entrance)
  • Thursday 6 March – Brook Street childrens’ playground, Easton, Meeting point: in the playground off Brook Street

For more details see www.bristol.gov.uk/treebristol

Central Area Plan & Castle Park

(Scroll down for links to further information & updates)

The latest stage in the production of the new ‘Bristol Local Plan’ (previously referred to as the Local Development Framework) is the issue of the Preferred options consultation document for the Central Area Plan. The consultation runs until 18 October 2013.

The full document and links to background information can be found on the Council’s website via the link below.

www.bristol.gov.uk/centralarea

Of particular concern to many will be the impact on the west end of Castle Park (also refered to as St Mary Le Port) where it is proposed that part of the park could be used for development and the mature trees on Wine Street could be felled.

This is the only section of the document that has specific questions as part of the consultaion, it is shown on pages 49 & 50 of the document.

Proposals for building on a large part of the western end of the park were first published in 2006 and resisted by the Parks Forum and many others. The Parks & Green Spaces Strategy was then adopted in 2008 showing that the area has a shortage of green space and that the existing space should therefore be protected. No disposal of green space at Castle Park was proposed as part of the AGSP consultation in 2010 and all political parties said they would protect green space not already proposed for disposal. The plans proposed from 2006 were then dropped.

The February 2012 consultation version of the Central Area Plan showed the area available for development restricted to the area of the disused buildings with the park being shown as important open space. The BPF response to that consultation can be seen here.

However, the current document suggests that a much larger area could be developed including a significant part of the park. It also suggests that the mature trees on Wine Street could be felled. The image below compares the illustrations from the two documents. The area proposed for development in February 2012 is shown in orange.

CastleParkFeb12Sept13

The current document asks the following question about Castle Park (p49)

9.3.6     The scale of development in this area will be an important consideration in determining whether the redevelopment of St Mary-le-Port and the delivery of the wider regeneration objectives for the area can be achieved.  The City Centre Retail Study identifies the need for any proposal to provide sufficient floorspace to ensure financial viability. It is therefore necessary to consider options for the development of a wider area than is occupied by the existing site buildings. This may include moving the existing building line forward and/or using some adjacent open space for development. Any proposal would need to meet the policy requirements set out above including an appropriate transition between the development and the park and the retention/restoration of the existing avenue of trees running north east from Bridge Street.
To bring forward a well-designed and viable scheme should the area proposed for development fall within the boundary indicated on the aerial photograph below?
Are there other options which should be considered?

Condidering the trees on Wine Street it says (p50)

9.3.7     Increasing the site area could also include the narrowing the building lines of High Street  and  Wine  Street  closer  to  their  historic  proportions  (with  the  potential  for reinstatement  of  the  historic  High  Cross  and  Dutch  House  or  a  modern  equivalent).  This approach  may  necessitate  the  removal  of  existing  street  trees  along  the  western  and northern edge of the site (with appropriate replacement planting elsewhere). 
To enable the narrowing of High Street and Wine Street closer to their historic proportions should any existing street trees be removed and replaced elsewhere?
Are there other options which should be considered?

Comments on the Central Area Plan can be submitted by e-mail or in writing by 18 October 2013 to  bdf@bristol.gov.uk

Central Area Plan Consultation (CD/BH)
Freepost BS6529
BRISTOL
BS1 5BR


Further Information

You might also be interested in the article below from the Bristol Civic Society Newsletter of a couple of years ago by Roger Mortimer suggesting an option for a more sustainable development that would not take part of the park.

St Mary Le Port and Castle Park – Article from Bristol Civic Society Newsletter

This issue will be discussed at the next BPF meeting on 12th October 2013, following which the BPF will be making a formal response.

Update 30 Sept 2013:
Report on Bristol 24-7

Update 02 Oct 2013:
More information on Castle Park Users Group website
New Castle Park Facebook Page
Report in Bristol Post 01 Oct
Report in Bristol Post 02 Oct
Bristol Post Comment 02 Oct

Update 04 Oct 2013:
Blog by Tony Dyer on Bristol 24-7

Update 08 Oct 2013:
Bristol 24-7 Cautious welcome as mayor tries to allay fears
Bristol Post Mayor hints at a partial climbdown
Petition: Keep Castle Park Green

Update 18 Oct 2013:
Bristol Parks Forum response to consultation
Tree Forum response to consultation

Work for TreeBristol

1 logo_0Bristol 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

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

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