Monday marked the first Ipswich Loves Trees Day that will be celebrated annually on Valentine’s Day, 14 February. This year, Ipswich Loves Trees Day will celebrate the release of Ipswich Borough Council’s Tree Charter.
The Tree Charter highlights Ipswich Borough Council’s dedication to trees and woodlands across the town. Covering everything from ensuring trees are native and of low disease risk, to carbon capture and ensuring trees are planted in the right place for the right reason, the Tree Charter identifies how the Council will approach trees and forest management.
The day was commemorated with Ipswich’s Tree Champions, Cllr Richard Pope and Cllr Carole Jones planting a Foxglove Tree (Paulownia tomentosa) at Christchurch Park. This fast-growing tree has recently been discovered to absorb ten times more carbon than native UK trees. The tree, which grows much faster than our native trees and has large leaves and beautiful purple flowers, will stand out in its new home near the Reg Driver Centre in Christchurch Park.
The Tree Charter has been a big step forward in our commitment to halting biodiversity loss, improving access to nature and carbon sequestration. The Charter was created by the new Tree Panel comprised of council representatives, the two Ipswich Tree Champion councillors and members of local wildlife groups who meet quarterly to discuss all things trees in Ipswich. The panel has big ambitions for trees in Ipswich including a network of tree volunteers, more tree engagement events, strategic mapping of suitable areas for tree planting and most recently an application to the Arbour Trust hoping to become a Tree City of the World. We are still awaiting the verdict on our application, but we have our fingers crossed that our commitment to trees will shine through in our application.
Ipswich Borough Council has recently been successful in achieving 2 funding applications for tree planting, with around 3000 trees due to be planted by March this year. 70 of the trees will be planted close to schools and medical centres to improve mental health and access to nature, whilst the remainder of the trees will be planted in the parks and open spaces across the town. We were really pleased to achieve the funding to plant these trees, not only for carbon sequestration but importantly for wildlife and access to nature. We are planting 5 new Miyawaki Woodlands across the town, and which are planted more densely than a standard woodland with the focus being on carbon sequestration and wildlife protection.
Ipswich Loves Trees Day is the first of 10 days of wildlife events for National Bird Box Week and February Half Term which this year is being dubbed Ipswich Tree Week. From bird-box making and painting events to planting trees there will be lots to keep the family interested in nature this February half term. More details can be found on the Ipswich Borough Council website.
=
Photo: Cllr Richard Pope and Cllr Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council tree champions, planting a tree in Christchurch Park for Ipswich Loves Trees Day - 14 February. Credit: Ipswich Borough Council.
