As Green Councillor for Central Harbour, I am the lone Green Councillor on Ramsgate Town Council and 1 of only 3 Green TDC Councillors. So I have an uphill task in raising environmental concerns. If you know me, you will know that the felling or loss of any of our habitat saddens me, and that I work as hard as I can to improve our ward and town.
I love Ellington Park, and have supported the Friends of Ellington Park (FOEP) in their plans to regenerate it. Shortly after my election to the Council, I joined with FOEP to support the retention of a habitat close to the old Keeper’s Lodge, protecting a much-needed environment for flocks of birds who use it for food, shelter and nesting.
I was worried, however, to see the cherry tree avenue being destroyed, and took part in a protest to stop it, in an attempt to promote some positive dialogue. We believed that the old cherry trees were to be replaced with small saplings similar in size to the ones being planted in Dane Park. So we suggested keeping the existing trees and planting the smaller saplings between them, so the old trees could be removed later once the saplings had grown. We also pushed to save the holm oak (photo above).
After the protest, a very constructive meeting was held with senior TDC Officers, the project manager, the Council Leader and representatives of Street Trees for Ramsgate and FOEP. All were afforded the chance to speak of their concerns openly and honestly, and we were given extra information on the project and specifically plans for the cherry tree avenue.
Afterwards we learned that FOEP in fact planned to replace the cherry trees, which were nearing the end of their lives, with larger trees of 4 – 5 metres in height, requiring space, professional planting and a year of after-care.
After further discussion it was agreed that, with the long-term aim of increasing tree numbers and replanting the cherry avenue with trees mature enough to survive, grow and blossom quickly, the plans were in fact a reasonable compromise. After further discussion it was also agreed that the holm oak will stay, which is very positive for everyone visiting the park who enjoys it, and a benefit for biodiversity.
Overall, there will be a net gain of trees in Ellington Park.
Small things matter. Action to protect and increase habitat, including trees, is a priority for me personally and our party. We are presently a small group with consequently little power or influence. We have to negotiate and compromise to change things and bring about the improvements we all need. We find that this approach raises awareness and sows the seeds of constructive and long-lasting changes in thinking and action on our environment.
We are grateful to everyone involved for the positive and respectful dialogue. Once this project is complete, we aim to undertake a full review of all the trees in Ellington Park with Street Trees for Ramsgate and FOEP. We hope to use the new TDC Tree Policy to gain tree protection orders on as many of these beautiful trees as possible, so they are fully protected well into the future, together with the biodiversity reliant on their survival.