Save OLDEST tree Petition 140 year old tree for the chop B'ham Trees For Life B'ham Residents speak out
ITV POLL showing support
BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE'S OLDEST RESIDENT IS UNDER THREAT....
The 95 year year old Plane tree situated along Broad Street, off Centenery Square is being threatened with felling. Originally it was thought ot be to make way for the new City metro system. But now it has been reveled by the Birmingham Mail that is to enable anti-terrorisim measures to be installed. This is a large tree we are talking about and I have yet to see any vehicle go through a tree of such size. Plus there are engineering soltions that can enable this tree to be retained at a time when over 200 street trees have or are being taken out of the city.The Plane Tree was a replacement for the original tree planted by Birmingham Mayor Joseph Chamberlain in the 1870's.
The Plane tree in Centeneray Square, provides many benefits to the city's inhabitants...
not least its aesthetic & amenity value it provides filtering of pollution - which is vitally important in these days of spiralling respiratory illnesses especially amongst children - water retention; habitat value; pollination services... and so much more...
(image © Google)
The Plane tree is the a replacement for one of the 99 that were planted in the 1870's by Mayor Joseph Chamberlain
Postcard from early 1900's showing the trees along Broad Street.
In these so called enlightened times we all know of the benefits that MATURE STREET TREES provide for FREE! - even if Transport for the West Midlands - along with Sheffield City Council - do not! Planting of new saplings, even 2 for 1 does not anyway near compensate for the loss of such large canopy, mature street trees. This is widely known throughout the arboricultural industry but many City Councils choose to ignore this fact if it suits their purposes.
Of course, there are modern, easily applied, technical arboriculture techniques that can be used to RETAIN TREES. London for example uses these to keep its Plane trees , which are in fact almost a 'Tourism attraction' in their own right.
The Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG) is a world first
TDAG brings together a pioneering group of individuals, professionals and organisations from wide ranging disciplines in both the public and private sectors to increase awareness of the role of trees in the built environment.
(Above is from the TDAG website)
I actually attend some of these TDAG West Midlands group meetings. In facte we meet just around the corner from this Plane tree and I am sure this tree will feature in the next TDAG WM meetings agenda.
So, for now please do sign the PETITION to retain this oldest city resident by clicking the link at the top of the page.
