Hundreds of trees to be planted in Southend
The Borough Council has confirmed the move
Last updated 16th Jan 2022
Southend Borough Council has set aside £120,000 in its budget as part of a pilot scheme to increase the number of trees in the borough and phase out the use of weedkiller.
700 trees will be planted, which the council says is around 300 trees above and beyond normal planting numbers.
Trees planted will includes some in Southchurch Park East for a COVID-19 reflection garden.
70 will be placed along the central reservation between Belfairs Park and Priory Park as part of the Queens Canopy project, a UK-wide initiative to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee.
Councillor Carole Mulroney, cabinet member for environment, culture, tourism and planning said:
“We all know how important trees and other plants are to our own lives by providing cleaner air and a more pleasant environment, but their benefits for fauna and wildlife habitats are also crucial."
“Trees and planting are something we can all get involved in and we want people to think about how they can plant trees in their own gardens and for businesses to consider planting on their own land, so that together we create a tree canopy that contributes to our goal of becoming a carbon-neutral city by 2030.”
They've also committed to phasing out usage of Glyphosate, a weed killer that's poisonous to plants.
It's been used to control unwanted plants by councils, farmers and home gardeners for several decades but now they're testing new solutions such as manual removal, mulch on shrub beds and hot water/foam used on hard surfaces in play areas.