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Trees in Lewisham
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tomangel


Posts: 64
Joined: Jun 2007
Post: #1
15-09-2011 11:20 AM

I recieved this email a few months back now, and thought people might be interested.

From: Thompson, John [mailto:John.Thompson@lewisham.gov.uk]
Sent: 17 May 2011 09:04

To: Tom
Subject: More trees please

Thank you for your email concerning the lack of new tree planting within the borough.

Last year the council planted a total of 425 new street trees in the borough (please see table below for breakdown of species )

This years planting programme will see a further 50 + new street trees planted.

I hope this information demonstrates to you the councils commitment to improving the quality of the local environment.

Kind regards

John

John Thompson
Group Manager
Green Scene
Telephone: 020 8314 2015
Email:john.thompson@lewisham.gov.uk


Common Name Botanical name Qty
Field maple Acer campestre 21
Silver maple Acer saccharinum 1
Erman’s birch Betula ermanii 25
Silver birch Betula pendula 41
Swedish birch Betula pendula Dalecarlica 41
Downy birch Betula pubescens 1
Hornbeam Carpinus betulus Frans Fontein 27
Turkish hazel Corylus colurna 6
Hawthorn (variety) Crataegus laevigata Alboplena 26
Hawthorn (variety) Crataegus x grignonensis 7
Hawthorn (variety) Crataegus x lavalleei 24
Honey locust Gleditsia tricanthos 'Sunburst' 2
Judas tree Cercis siliquastrum 1
Tree privet Ligustrum japonica 6
Lime Tilia cordata 1
Liquidambar Liquidambar styraciflua 1
Apple (variety) Malus Director Moerland 13
Apple (variety) Malus Rudolph 16
Dawn redwood Metasequoia glyptostroboides 3
Olive Olea europaea 4
Black pine Pinus nigra 3
London plane Platanus x hispanica 13
Cherry (variety) Prunus Accolade 5
Cherry (variety) Prunus Amanogawa 13
Cherry (variety) Prunus avium 10
Plum (variety) Prunus cerasifera Nigra 9
Cherry (variety) Prunus Okame 4
Cherry (variety) Prunus Pandora 10
Cherry (variety) Prunus Umineko 24
Whitebeam (variety) Sorbus aria Lutescens 19
Whitebeam (variety) Sorbus aria Magnifica 4
Rowan (variety) Sorbus aucuparia 41
Mountain ash Sorbus discolor 3

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thenutfield


Posts: 235
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #2
04-10-2011 01:04 PM

thanks for the info tomangel.
425 trees might sound a lot but when you think about the total number of streets in Lewisham Borough, this works out at what? maybe one tree per street on average? Not that great, and the 50 odd planned for this year is paltry - we can thank the coalition for that of course.

What I do know is that none of the 425 trees were planted in Perry Vale, where I live, and which has no (not one) street trees at all along its considerable length.

Mind you, we dont get speed restriction, 20 mph zone, or any other pedestrian or environmental benefits either. I'm not into conspiracy theories so i dont believe that the council deliberately neglect PV - but i do feel we are a bit unloved!

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #3
04-10-2011 01:33 PM

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/getinvolved/l...ry2010.pdf

Perry Vale Assembly wrote:
The November 2009 Mayor and Cabinet meeting approved a major tree planting programme in the Perry Vale ward. This had been discussed at the July local assembly meeting and received overwhelming support from those present.
Residents were invited to request their tree preferences online or in writing. The £14,000 allocated will provide an additional 45 trees in Perry Vale creating a better, cleaner environment for everyone.


The street of Perry Vale itself is, in parts, one of the greenest roads in Forest Hill, with lines of mature trees along both sides. Not street trees, but hardly the place to put new street trees (according to residents of Perry Vale ward who voted on their preferred locations).

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #4
05-10-2011 06:23 AM

I would prefer no trees in my road. I seem to get all the fallen leaves in my garden.

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rshdunlop


Posts: 1,111
Joined: Jun 2008
Post: #5
05-10-2011 07:10 AM

Collect the leaves, put them in black bin bags, tie the bags, punch in a few air holes, stack the bags behind a shed, down the side of your house, wherever they are out of sight, open them back up a year later and spread the resultant leaf mould on your garden as a soil improver and mulch. Repeat.

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thenutfield


Posts: 235
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #6
05-10-2011 08:02 AM

ouch! Michael, I think you are being a little disingenuous with your reply, and with your google street image.

You are quite right to say PV is green in parts - I didn't say it wasn't. It is a long road though, and certainly not very leafy everywhere. Try the S Circular end, or the Perry Rise end (I would show you, but i cant get the google map link to work for me).

I wasn't able to attend the PV Assembly in 2009 when this was discussed so didn't get to 'vote' on where our trees should go . I would be interested to know where the trees did go, to see if your 'streets that are already a bit leafy shouldn't get any more trees' argument stacks up.

I have noticed one or 2 new trees in the lovely Allenby Road - best wishes to the good folk of Allenby - but if they can get a tree, why not poor old PV?

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michael


Posts: 3,255
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #7
05-10-2011 11:19 AM

The first 5 trees in the scheme were planted on Trilby Road - details can be found on http://loveperryvale.ning.com/xn/detail/...Event:5403

I couldn't tell you where the rest were planted, you should probably contact one of the Perry Vale councillors to find out the exact locations of the 45 new trees.

I apologise for my disingenuity but I felt you were being a little disingenuous regarding the lack of trees on the considerable length of Perry Vale. The section between Normanton Road and Dacres Road is one of the greenest roads in Forest Hill, and there is street planting at the junction with Woolstone Road (flowers not trees).

I agree the a few trees would benefit the station end of Perry Vale as shown in the 2006 planning application for 'Forest Hill Central', see http://acolnet.lewisham.gov.uk/ACOLLATEDOCS/13780_9.pdf
I can't remember/understand why this planting was never undertaken.

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Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #8
05-10-2011 11:25 AM

Perry Vale is owed a couple of trees by the underpass.
All paid for as part of the developments there, but this seems to be forgotten about.

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NewForester


Posts: 379
Joined: Feb 2008
Post: #9
05-10-2011 11:53 AM

In an old post

Snazy wrote:
Right then here goes with the FINAL installment of updates on Perry Vale..

First up.... It WILL reopen on Wednesday at some time.. The celebrity doing the grand opening is.... Mick Hepworth Thumbsup

Last layer of tarmac is going down today along with speed cushions, and some lamp columns go in Wednesday morning, and the last few finishing touches like bike stands etc.

Trees.... will not happen im afraid to report. As the roots from these could damage a gas pipe which is close by and close to the surface. Other alternatives are being considered.

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thenutfield


Posts: 235
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #10
05-10-2011 11:59 AM

"The first 5 trees in the scheme were planted on Trilby Road"

- doesnt this sort of prove my point? Trilby Road was already leafy with a lot of street trees (AND it has speed restriction, which is actually my main grumble of the moment - but thats for another thread).

I dont think I will bother the councillors with a quest to track down all the new trees in the ward - I'm not that obsessed! - but I think I will ask the planning dept about those ones that were promised up by the underpass. Thanks Michael and Perryman for the info.

regards,
Victor Meldrew

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #11
05-10-2011 12:25 PM

Could we have plastic trees by the underpass?
They will not damage the gas pipe!

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thenutfield


Posts: 235
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #12
05-10-2011 12:52 PM

sounds perfect.
The entrance to the underpass could have a plastic palm tree at either side, and a shimmery bead curtain across the entrance. It would almost make it worth going through to the wrong side of the railway tracks!

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Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #13
06-10-2011 07:23 PM

Hmmm, the gas main excuse sounds pretty weak to me.
Tree roots will not be interested in gas pipes.

However all the ancient leaky mains pipes that they just reburied under plastic sheets there, (rather than replace) probably need all the protection they can get.

The obvious answer is to put smaller trees/shrubs in some sort of planter boxes, to at least make an effort to meet the original requirement.

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Deano


Posts: 179
Joined: Oct 2011
Post: #14
28-10-2011 05:11 PM

Thanks tomangel. Very interesting. Sadly I have been served notice to cut a number of beautiful mature trees by an insurance company as apparently they are causing subsidence. Apparently it is nothing to do with hot weather, clay soil and hills. It is the trees.

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seeformiles


Posts: 269
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #15
29-10-2011 10:27 AM

Also trees form a really effective sound barrier, and with all the building work going on, they can make the difference between noise being bearable and totally driving you round the bend.

The flats nearby apparently complained about the overgrown trees bordering my block so they have been trimmed back dramatically. I'd say far more than was needed. The result is that the sound from the building work next door has been greatly magnified. I also now feel completely overlooked and have to keep my curtains shut.

I was hoping I'd get a lie-in today after working late all week, but no such luck. The movement of scaffolding, followed by hammering and drilling started up this morning before 9am.
Those lovely trees really did help to dampen the sound and I miss them. Sad

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