There has been an unexpected silver lining to the pandemic cloud in Bristol after a woman from Bishopston started replanting missing trees from her street. Amy Williams said it all started with a neighbourhood WhatsApp group created during lockdown.
She said: “When we moved into our house five years ago, we wanted to replace the tree that had been outside our house. During the pandemic we had a WhatsApp group for our road and I asked people if anyone wanted to chip in to replace more trees on our street.”
Amy, of Kennington Avenue, said one of the neighbours shared an old picture of the street 100 years ago, which showed it tree-lined with no cars. Since then, five new trees have been planted.
Trees for Streets works with Bristol City Council helping residents to organise the planting and watering of new trees. Trees can only be replaced if there is a space or ‘tree-pit’ where a previous one had been planted.
Project director Simeon Linstead said there are locations across Bristol where trees could be planted. He said they were normally taken down due to the tree dying or being diseased or urban development.
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The council has a map of pre-approved locations, which have already been assessed and approved by tree experts. Residents can request their own location, but it must be on a grass verge.
Locations not suitable include any proximity to underground cables or pipes, a nearby lamp post or telephone pole and a pavement which is too narrow to fit a tree or a drop kerb.
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The sponsorship donation to the council to plant a new tree is £160 if it is on a grassy verge and the resident is required to water it regularly. The donation for a tree from one of the pre-approved locations, which includes watering and maintenance, is £295.
The trees are 'instant impact' trees which already are three-to-four metres high and between five and seven years old. According to Trees for Streets, more than 50 trees in the UK disappear every day.
There are a number of benefits to increase trees in urban areas and these include:
- Capture carbon dioxide and produce oxygen
- Improve health and wellbeing, mentally and physically
- Acting as natural filters, air quality is improved
- Protection from flooding
- Create shade and cooling
- A natural habitat for insects, birds and wildlife
- Improve overall look of an area which can increase value of a properties
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