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Trees breathe new life into urban green space

tree

29 March 2017


Students from Al-Huda Academy, along with staff from the English Institute of Sport and our own Lord Mayor of Sheffield, helped Community Forestry staff plant new trees in Darnall yesterday (Tuesday 28 March).

The trees were “heavy standard” trees and a mix of oak, lime, silver birch, Turkish hazel and amalanchier.

This planting of 19 new trees is part of a wider improvements project being delivered to Ouseburn Road Open Space, which is funded by a contribution from the Ouse Road housing development.

Other planned improvements will include fencing, new seating, litter bins, wildflower and bulb planting and the provision of goal ends and synthetic surfacing to provide a kick-about area for football.

Councillor Mary Lea, cabinet member for culture, sport and leisure, at Sheffield City Council, said: “I’d like to thank all those who took part to make this community tree planting event a real success.

“Students and staff from Al-Huda Academy were helped by Councillor Zahira Naz, while the staff from Sheffield International Venues – SIV – had assistance from local volunteers including a representative from the Friends of High Hazel Park.

“As the day went on, it became a gloriously sunny afternoon, and it was great to see the new trees established and the wider improvements on the site taking shape."

This is the latest event in Sheffield City Council’s Community Forestry programme, which is seeing hundreds of new trees planted across Sheffield during the current tree-planting season.

The next session will take place on Monday, April 3 in Sharrow, in partnership with trading co-operative Regather, and trees will also be planted in Beighton on Wednesday, April 5, between Rosemary Road and Cairns Road.

In the past few weeks, around 7,500 trees were also planted to create new urban woodlands in three parks in the south-east of the city; at Kenninghall Bank, Fox Lane Recreation Ground and at Pipworth Recreation Ground.

Tim Shortland, Community Forestry Manager at Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield’s existing woodlands are renowned nationally, but many are in decline and despite being of great value to people and wildlife alike will not last forever.

“The establishment of new urban woodland will perpetuate this amazing woodland legacy for future generations and, in the shorter term, will provide a diversity of habitats for wildlife.

“These new woodlands will maintain the cities woodland legacy, increase biodiversity, clean the air and create new amenity opportunities. They will create the next generation of woodlands for future generations of Sheffielders to enjoy.”