Reading's Tree Strategy

Earlier this year we asked people to come forward with thoughts and comments on Reading's first ever draft Tree Strategy.

The Tree Strategy an important document designed to protect and increase the number of trees across the borough. Key proposals include the protection and retention of trees, managing and maintaining trees and planting new ones. The overall aim is to increasing the number of trees in Reading by 10 per cent.

Consultation ran until the beginning of April. The Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to pass on their comments. The Tree Strategy was adopted in June 2010.

The need for a Tree Strategy for Reading is highlighted by the current condition survey of all council-owned trees, which is on-going.

Many of Reading's trees date from Victorian and Edwardian times. With public safety the Council's obvious priority, it is unfortunately inevitable some trees will need to be either worked on or felled in future months and years due to their poor and unstable condition.

Some trees that need to be felled have already been identified. Where a tree needs felling, public notices will be placed on that tree before the work is carried out.

The Council remains fully committed to replacing felled trees wherever possible so that the character of streets and open spaces can be retained.

Where trees are to be felled, the Council will assess possible replacement in consultation with the Council's Highways Department and Statutory Utilities such as gas, electric and water companies. The draft Tree Strategy also sets out the priorities for the replacement of street trees.

If you see a notice on a tree near to you telling you it needs to be felled in the near future and you want to know more, below us a quick Q and A which may answer some of your questions:

Why is the Council cutting down this tree?
Because its condition has been assessed and found that it poses a safety risk.

Rather than cutting the whole thing down, can't you just pollard it instead?
No because this style of management will not render the tree any safer.

Will it be replaced?
Replacement of this tree will be assessed in consultation with the Highways Authority and Statutory Utilities, and also against the priorities set out in the Reading Borough Tree Strategy (see document below)

If you are replacing it, when will this happen?
We will work to replace the tree during the next planting season [November 2010 - March 2011] subject to funding & resources.

Could this cutting down of trees not have been avoided by an earlier inspection and maintenance programme?
Not necessarily. In most cases these trees have reached the end of their natural useful life and have become prone to disease.

If you need more information please contact the Natural Environment team (see link on this page).

Downloads

PDF

Some of the following documents are in pdf format. You can download and install a free PDF reader to enable you to read and print them. Click here to download Adobe Acrobat (PDF) Reader from the Adobe website.

File	Type	Size	Download Time
Tree Strategy, June 2010 (main document)	PDF	4,311 KB	56Kbps Modem: 18 Minutes Broadband : 1 Minute
Tree Strategy, June 2010 (map and action plan)	PDF	2,258 KB	56Kbps Modem: 9 Minutes Broadband : 46 Seconds