Calverley & Farsley councillor Peter Carlill has welcomed the council’s tree planting programme across the city – and revealed three areas in Rodley, Farsley and Pudsey where planting will take place.
The woodland creation initiative will see 5.8 million trees planted in Leeds over the next 25 years and works are beginning this winter.
Tree planting is crucial to achieving the council’s commitment to be Carbon Neutral by 2030 and the scheme will help deliver the increase in tree canopy needed to see carbon reduction across the city.
The initiative is identifying a number of potential sites across Leeds, including many in Calverley and Farsley Ward, for the planting of trees to create new woodland.
People will be able to get involved via the Aruim’s Seed Collection Campaign. Seed collection boxes will be in place across the city to deposit collections. These will then be gathered at the Arium for planting to get seeds ready to be replanted in local communities. Residents are also encouraged to put forward suggestions for areas in their community which could be considered for tree planting in future years.
Sites in Calverley and Farsley Ward include:
• Chatsworth Recreation Ground, Pudsey
• Farfield Recreation Ground, Farsley
• Keldholme Close, Rodley
Councillor Peter Carlill (Labour, Calverley and Farsley) said:
“The benefits that trees bring to the environment can’t be over stated and we need to get moving on getting more planted. That’s why I’m really happy to see this new tree planting happening. The Woodland Creation initiative is a fantastic way to increase the number of trees both in the ward and the city. This is just the start of the process and a bold commitment to take this well into the future.
“It’s not just the environment that benefits from more trees. Being cooped up a lot more than usual this year has really shown the value of greenery in our lives. More people have been exploring their local area, and not everyone is lucky enough to have a garden so public green space has been a breath of fresh air for so many. I know many people have enjoyed walking around the parks and community orchards we have here and it’s important that we make sure we do our bit now to ensure future generations have that same chance.
“I’d really urge everyone to get involved with the seed collection campaign, and of course to get in touch with me to suggest any areas they would like to see more greenery.”
WLD reported yesterday about tree planting sites on Acres Hall Avenue and the Roker Recreation Ground in Pudsey. Further sites in West Leeds will be announced soon.
Re the tree planting.
It is strange the council can find the money to plant trees in various places but it unable to find the money to keep some of the parks bowling greens open. In the Chatsworth Park the ground is marked out but how many people will see the benefit as the park is really used. It is alright planting trees in the parks but the ground still has to be maintained at a cost. I look forward to your comments.
Then I shall delight in treating you to some comment. (c;
Increased tree-planting is a word-wide vital necessity for a lot of reasons – including climate-change, bio-diversity, flooding reduction and air quality improvement. If the trees are native fruit or nut-producing varieties, then the local community will benefit in increased social & community activities and the associated health benefits they could bring. There are already volunteer-run organisations such as Urban Harvest who lend out fruit collecting and pressing equipment to groups – who can organise community events to gather and use the produce.
A planned layout could cover the ground layer sufficiently within 2 years or so to remove the need for costly grass-mowing. Other food/flower-productive plants can take advantage of tree-provided layers such as underground, trunk-climbing and canopy to produce more yield and shade.
Particularly, the progression of blossom through a range of trees from cherries to apples through pears and plums and mulberries etc etc is a sight to behold – especially after the dark grey of winter.
Or alternatively – you could just stand around and take turns rolling a ball across a green flat expanse of grass with a few friends.
Choice is up the widest of the local community hopefully.
Would like to make you aware that when I was brought up as a child in Calverley before the sad day Leeds took over from Pudsey borough council, in Calverley park it was looked after by the park keeper Jock, he also cut the grass around Calverley, he weeded the village, he cleared up leaves and composted them at the park, unlike like nowadays where they are just blown to one side funny how everything declined from 1974 when Leeds took over