Following Richmond Council’s Climate Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan consultations, we have some suggestions below for anyone keen to complete the Council’s Tree Planting Strategy before it closes on 23rd January 2025.
You might have already sent a response, but please consider resubmitting if you agree with the points we’ve made below and hadn’t included them earlier.
We’ve highlighted our suggestions in green below. Consider rephrasing them in your own words wherever possible.
This article won’t tell you how to answer every question, but it will offer some ideas for further thought and action alongside the multiple choice options available.
Step 1: Visit the website
The online survey here takes around 10 minutes to complete, or even less time if you use our suggestions below.
Select “Click here to begin the questionnaire” then press the “Continue” button in the bottom right.
You’ll be asked to explain why you’re responding to the survey and to provide your postcode.
Step 2: Your views
Under Thinking about trees in Richmond borough, please tell us how you feel about them, we answered:
I think trees are wonderful and an important asset to the borough.
Followed by… Please tell us more:
We should be looking after the trees we have and planting more, for all the ecological, mental and physical health, air quality, and aesthetic and socioeconomic benefits they provide.
Under Thinking about your answer to the previous question, what do you think are the main reasons for your feelings about trees?, we added in the “Other” box:
Trees can increase soil fertility, help to hold the soil together, and reduce risks of erosion and flooding.
Followed by… Please tell us more:
Richmond is fortunate in being a green borough, but it unfortunately loses trees too often, and some parts of it are very low on trees. More trees would be of enormous benefit for air quality, nature, wellbeing, the feel of the borough, habitat for bats, birds, insects and small mammals and help with wildlife corridors.
Under Do you think that Richmond borough would benefit from more trees in parks and open spaces? Please tell us more, we added:
The UK is one of the most deforested countries in Europe. We need to recover more of our lost biodiversity and restore viable ecosystems for ourselves and future generations. We should focus on native varieties, though some (non-native) species can be more effective at reducing temperatures and improving air quality; however, we should be directly addressing the sources of air pollution and heating as a priority alongside conserving biodiversity.
Step 3: Your trees and trees near you
Under Would you like to have more trees on your property?, we added:
Yes, more trees in my neighbourhood would be good.
Followed by… Please tell us more:
We need more public education about the benefits of trees and how best to care for specific varieties in our local areas. The Council used to have an ‘adopt a tree’ scheme which encouraged joint care. Maybe you could revisit this and promote it with wider awareness raising schemes through organisations such as Dose of Nature, Habitats & Heritage, and Kew Gardens.
Under Would you like to have more trees on your property?, we answered Yes.
Followed by… Please tell us more:
I would like advice on the right trees to plant, and the right location for them.
Under If you would like to make any comments about Richmond borough’s treescape, please provide details below, we added:
Locations for new tree planting should recognise that, in the wrong location they can present significant barriers to accessibility, especially for people who have impairments, both sensory and physical. We appreciate that often it may have to be a compromise between different needs, but as a general rule the walkway should be a minimum of 1.5m wide and in areas of busy footfall, at least 2m wide to allow people to walk side by side. Planting should take account of this basic width for ease of movement. I think we should plant more buildout trees on roads as opposed to planting on walkways, which reduces space and creates root issues, making it difficult, even dangerous, for pedestrians and particularly people with mobility issues to negotiate. Bollards can be used to protect trees until they reach sufficient size to withstand any disturbance. This not only ensures a tree and shade canopy, as per Healthy Street Indicators, but also allows the roots to spread easily without negatively affecting the walkway or nearby properties. With a buildout, the space around the base of the tree can be enlarged to allow greater permeability which isn’t always possible for those built on the walkway and which sometimes are tarmacked in ways which are likely to reduce the health of the tree. The Council’s revised crossover policy has the potential to restrict tree planting by obscuring sight lines. Investigating whether buildouts could overcome this negative aspect of crossovers generally should be considered. We should encourage planting trees close to seating, but bird droppings can be an issue. Ongoing care and maintenance of trees as well as the street scene and carriageway safety (e.g. from leaf and branch fall) needs proper resourcing. Some trees growing on public land, mostly in alleyways, aren’t the responsibility of the Council nor residents. Possibly when first planted, or even self seeded, these alleyways were divvied up in some way for residents to take responsibility but the passage of time has meant no-one knows or does anything. But the resulting issues of safety of trees which have grown to significant heights or where roots undermine properties remains. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems are possible locations for small tree planting.
Step 4: About you
Finally, you can choose to complete the optional questions about your background and leave your email if you would like a copy of your response.
Once again, here’s the link to the online consultation survey. Please submit your response by 20th January 2025, and let us know what you think of the process.
You can keep track of Richmond Council’s progress by visiting the Council Climate Action Scorecards website, which will be reporting again later this year.
