Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust is asking local people to have their say on a Government consultation about whether there should be a duty on local authorities to consult and report on street tree felling and planting.
Trees are valuable to local communities not just for their character but also the ecosystem services they provide, such as reducing the effects of pollution and climate change, creating a vital habitat for wildlife and contributing to a healthy nature network. Whilst everyone agrees that street trees need to be managed and in some cases felled, the strength of local feeling caused by the Streets Ahead programme in Sheffield suggests that a different approach is needed.
As well as leading on the national Wildlife Trust’s response – drawing especially on the experience in Sheffield – the Trust is drafting a specific regional response to the consultation and it wants to make sure the input of residents is represented. They are asking everyone in Sheffield and Rotherham to read and comment on their draft response by 22nd February to make sure the comments can be included before the deadline. Visit bit.ly/TreeConsultation to read the consultation and the Trust’s response to it and have your say.
Residents can also respond to the consultation directly before the end of February 2019.