Dear supporters. With the second meeting of the Highway Trees Advisory Forum fast approaching (Wed Sep 2nd, Town Hall, 5pm), now is a good time to remind you of how we got here. When it became apparent that all trees that caused even minor disruption to pavements and kerbs would be felled on the basis that they represented a trip hazard, an active campaign to challenge policy sprang in to action (SORT). Full details can be found online at Prof Ian Rotherham’s Blog (August section). Campaigners demanded a stop to all non-urgent felling until a tree strategy had been drafted in accordance with current best practice and adopted as Council policy. After a month, in response to >10,000 signature petition, the Labour Council agreed to produce a tree strategy, in fulfilment of their 5yo policy commitment. At this point, the Council claimed that such trees had to be felled, in accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act and the Equalities Act, as they were “discriminatory”: claiming they hinder accessibility and mobility. The Council claimed felling was a reasonable response, as required by the Acts, and that there were no other reasonably practicable solutions. For every tree felled, just ONE is planted. Between August 2012 & July 2015, 2,019 street trees were felled. The felling continues until 2018. FOI request responses have revealed that: 1) NO risk assessments of hazards associated with trees are done by either the Council or Amey – despite repeatedly claiming in local media, that this is the reason for felling; 2) The Council & Amey have only ONE set of highway engineering specifications, used for all streets, regardless of whether or not there are existing trees: no alternative specifications have been commissioned or drafted; 3) There is NO valuation of ANY ecosystem services; 4) There is NO STRATEGY for tree management for the duration of the PFI contract; 5) There is NO MANAGEMENT PLAN for all trees on the road (long established & new/proposed); 6) There is no constitution for Cllr Fox’s Highway Trees Advisory Forum (nor has one been presented to key stakeholder representatives for consultation and approval); We hope that the Council and Amey will stop all tree planting and non-urgent felling until a city-wide tree strategy is adopted as Council policy. We hope this will include a commitment to ensure that balanced assessments are completed by competent people using current, recognised, appropriate and adequate widely accepted methods, prior to decision making. We hope it will help inform decisions and to ensure that all acts and omissions are proportionate and not unduly influenced by those with vested interests, or by transitory opinions. We hope the tree strategy will be drafted in accordance with current best practice and that it will help ensure a planned, systematic, integrated approach to highway tree management. We hope it will help ensure an honest, open and transparent approach, and that it will be used to guide and inform decisions. With a strategy for community involvement at its heart, and review and revision at planned and appropriate intervals, and inclusion of full detail of organisational structure and of accountability at all levels, we hope that the tree strategy will help ensure a sustainable, consistent approach to management of OUR urban forest. A big thank you to The Star and all of our followers for your continued support. We need you NOW, more than ever before! Tree Forum 2 is next Wednesday 2nd September, Town Hall, 5pm. Please come along, all are welcome! All the best SORT