Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Harringay new street trees - watered in this dry spell by Haringey
Our Ladder street has half a dozen new trees planted in February this year. Today there was a loud humming sound outside which I found was coming from a water pump mounted on a flatbed truck. After a few minutes the setup moved on to the next tree.
Given those trees aren't cheap in the first place, plus installation, I applaud the council's follow-up.
Tags for Forum Posts: street trees, trees
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Hugh
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We had one planted just opposite a couple of years ago and another just a few doors down this year. in the year the one opposite was planted it began to suffer badly So, I watered it through the summer and it was fine, The new one also shed all its leaves in April. So, I've taken that under my wing and am glad to see it now well recovered. It doesn't take much to help a tree through its first year and I would recommend people adopt any new tree near their house and help it through the first year. After that they'll generally be able to stand on their own feet.
Like you, Gordon, I had no idea the Council came round to water their new trees. It's great that they do, but I think if I'd waited till this week for them, the new tree would have been past saving.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah
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I sponsored a tree and as part of that, as well as paying £200 I had to agree to water it.
Sadly it was driven into too many times by people who think pavements are for cars not people or trees. It was completely uprooted within a week and although the council planted it again, it never recovered. I had a dead tree outside and I was getting weekly reminder emails to water it.
The following year (last year) in February the council replaced the tree. But the entitlement of drivers won again. All of the water in my 200l water butt wasn't enough to keep the tree alive in the face of people with 1 tonne plus killing machines.
So the second tree died. They don't plant a third. So for another year I had to walk past a dead tree every time I left the house. Finally I emailed and asked if the dead tree could be removed as it was a daily reminder of the money I'd spent trying to do something I thought was nice for a community that clearly didn't agree with me. I returned from holiday last week to find the tree was gone.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter
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TO my mind this is more evidence that suggests that Haringey Council's vaunted new tree-planting scheme needs review.
In general, the principle of planting new trees is good. However the delivery is half-baked and reflects the chronic lack of council joined-up thinking.
New street trees would be better planted in sufficiently large, build-outs from the kerb.
One of the benefits is that there would be a larger, square or rectangular area for rain water to collect, reducing the need for residents to water weekly and reducing the need for the council to pay for a watering truck to come round, insufficiently frequently, as Hugh suggested.
A larger tree curtilage would increase the chance of the trees actually surviving.
The current tree planting in the pavement is half-baked.
The earth area is constrained by the need to leave some of the pavement untouched, but they anyway reduce the pavement width. This is contrary to the council's encouragement of Walking and Cycling. The leader appears to be more interested in the self-regarding Borough of Culture 2027, than in the environment.
Finally, the council boasts about their new street tree numbers, but they only boast about the number of trees planted and not the number of saplings surviving after say, 12 months, which would be more meaningful.
Mature trees, about which the council cares not enough, are more valuable and have already proven their ability to survive.
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But if they plant trees in a build out won't that make people even more likely to try to park on it?
There are double yellow lines outside my house by the way but it doesn't stop people parking on the pavement (and the tree, when it was there) all day long. I don't mean one car there all day, I mean a succession of vehicles. As well as delivery vans for the convenience store on the corner.
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But if they plant trees in a build out won't that make people even more likely to try to park on it?
Not if they're built properly!
(Some car owners will anyway attempt to park anywhere)
Before the council eventually planted their promised saplings in build-outs in Wightman Road, i took some photos.
The kerbed areas were protected by bollards. On this occasion, the Highwaymen both ended the shameful pavement parking and demonstrated that they can design and specify in a useful way. Partially.
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Permalink Reply by Christina Davis
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It's really good that they water them but I do think they cut down more then they ever plant. So many streets disfigured with stumps and some of the reasons given for the felling are incredibly suspect. I'd suggest planting alkanet or other pretty 'weed' flowers that pollinators love in the tree stump pits but I wouldn't trust the council operatives not to uproot it all. I have written to councillors in the past suggesting that they educate their operatives more in general biodiversity but no response and I always get the same blank stares if I ask someone with a mower to perhaps leave some of the clumps of buttercups or clover alone.
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Permalink Reply by Zena Brabazon
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Thank you everyone for this discussion. I know trees are a big issue! We committed to planting new trees in our manifesto and extending the tree canopy. I think we have planted around a thousand so far. I agree it is good to see council staff watering the new trees, and thank you for sponsoring trees, and also for looking after them and the council trees too. Things will go wrong, and I will contact the officers about the points you have raised.
My experience is that trees are cut down only if they have to be removed- primarily because they diseased. I think planting the trees in the build outs on Wightman Road has worked - the trees and planting soften the road and do slow the traffic. But I suspect build outs can't happen everywhere for cost or other reasons. I'm not a traffic planner but I can ask the officers!
Just to let everyone know, we are installing a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) in Hampden Road. This is like a huge planter which takes run off when there is heavy rainfall. Hopefully this will ease some of the flooding problems on Hampden Road. There are also issues with Thames Water which officers are continually chasing.
Zena
Zena Brabazon
Cllr, Harringay ward
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