Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust calls on Council to save Chelsea Road elm tree, whilst trying to save butterfly colony

[lead]Despite considerable efforts by Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust and many other interested parties to seek a more sympathetic approach to the management of the Chelsea Road elm tree, Sheffield City Council plans to carry out pruning next week (week commencing 12 February), with a view to felling in the future.[/lead]

The Trust has agreed to assist the Council with the translocation of White-letter Hairstreak butterfly eggs from the pruned branches as part of a butterfly mitigation plan, in an effort to try and save the colony of this declining priority species.

Liz Ballard, Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust’s CEO, said:

“We remain strongly opposed to the Council’s decision to fell the Chelsea Road elm. Since 2015, we have campaigned alongside other organisations, local street tree groups and residents to save this particularly important tree. This tree has survived for over 100 years, despite the ongoing threat of Dutch elm disease and numerous roadworks, and is both a key feature of the area’s street scen