A posting from the Amber Valley Tree Officer!
Well having just spoken to Helen and arranged to turn up and help out, I'll
be off to boll~*k my friends in the development policy section who run our
tree warden scheme!
I'm of the belief that tree wardens can be really useful but require much
guidance and support, preferably from the authority who they are meant to be
in partnership with! (though I'm V. thankful for the guys from Notts for
giving their time) Believe it or not one of our Members is of to the House
Of Lords to receive an award for our tree warden scheme because it been in
existence for over ten years! A lot longer than I've been at the authority.
But what have our tree wardens achieved to date? Um.... I can't answer that,
perhaps my colleagues who run the scheme can, though I doubt it!
Despite existing for ten years and the council having supported the tree
wardens and BTCV to the tune of £1800.00 per year to provide training and
newsletters, I can't find any real evidence of a benefit to date, but
perhaps I'm being a little cynical. After all I think it may have been as a
result of the tree wardens knowing more than the planning officers that the
council appointed an Arboriculturalist for the first time after a number of
embarrassing cases!
Having just carried out a BV review of our tree related services I'll
hopefully be in a position to make some changes in the near future. Buts
lets wait and see... all I'm after is sufficient resources to provide a
minimal level of service!
The first time I met our tree wardens I set out my stall, told them that
they could be really useful in terms of raising the profile of trees and a
great start would be to help me to begin a survey of the councils tree
stock. Something that was easy for them to do, a basic head count, tree
ident and plot on maps. How many takers.... None!
Still, not one to give up and with Helens expertise at TPO review I've
suggested that if the tree wardens want to know about surveying then lets
give them copies of the TPO's in their towns/parishes and get them to see
what's still there and educate them on amenity evaluation..
I'm sure that about 1/3 to 1/2 of our tree wardens turn up for tea and buns,
but I'll have to let you know how many decide to get active in the coming
weeks. I'll suggest that they make doing some basic surveys their news year
resolutions and hope that they have more success in keeping them than I ever
do!
(As a bit of background info for anyone wondering I'm based in parks and my
time is shared up as follows 40% Parks (read -
highways/parks/cemeteries/housing/BV/DSO management etc), 20% Development
Policy (read-technical advice on TPO/CA/Hedgerow Regs issues - about 170-200
cases per annum) and 20% Development Control (read - being called in at x
hour once things have gone pear shaped!)
Things are changing for the better here at AVBC, but not as quickly as I'd
like. But as I'm sure your all aware the wheels sometimes turn slowly in
local gov.
I'll watch the postings on Tree Wardens with much interest!!!
Regards,
Andrew Jones - Tree Officer
Tel: 01773 841536
Fax: 01773 841539
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