Tonia Clark, Trustee and BTP Chair, was delighted to be invited again on 31st January, to talk about organising tree activities, as part of Eden Project Communities’ Winter Warmer programme.
She talked about how to organise a winter tree walk, that you don’t need to have a park nearby, and you can observe street trees, trees in front gardens, and even hedges. The group shared ideas for activities with native trees, including art like Andrew Goldsworthy, and the Ogham tree alphabet.
There was a lot of sharing in the break-out rooms, and participants agreed to run tree activities which we look forward to hearing all about. Thank you Eden Project Communities for the invite and we look forward to the next online event!
Wednesday 7th February, three Trustees – Tonia Clark, Simon Needle, and Ian McDermott – were invited to attend the formal launch of the Midlands Forest Network at The Exchange in Birmingham. A packed room heard from various VIP’s from the Woodland Trust, Midlands Engine, DEFRA, and others that the two-year formal scoping phase of this project is now live.
BTP were given a shout-out, thanks to the pivotal work we’ve been doing in the city, and we are very pleased and proud to be part of this potentially impactful programme.
The survey collected data from 1,000 sample plots across Birmingham, Solihul, and Coventry, the former being BTP’s focus. Thanks to our fantastic and growing network of urban forest volunteers, like Krish Kumar who came along that morning after being a staple volunteer during the surveying, the survey was completed in an unbelievable two weeks! We will be posting more about the results very soon.
Representatives from the Mayor’s Office, WMCA, Treeconomics, Amazon, Birmingham City Council (including the Parks Team, who have helped us throughout our planting) were all in attendance for this wonderful event. The Mayor learned how to plant a tree first-hand! The Cabinet Member for the Environment and Councillor for Bromford and Hodge Hill, Majid Mahmood, arrived after afternoon prayers to show his advocacy for the tree planting and iTree initiatives, but he is already a planting-pro after helping BTP throughout Tree Week 2023.
We have been humbled and truly welcome all the warm support and assistance we have received with these citizen science projects. Placing community and its people at the forefront of the programmes, what we have achieved together as a result is something incredible and worthy of praise. Thank you to everyone involved this day, and every other day, that made the iTree Eco Survey a great experience.
A special Gingko Biloba tree was planted today, in the City Centre Gardens, to celebrate the 11-mile-long human chain that circled Birmingham on 16th May 1998, organised by the Debt Justice Coalition. 70,000 people changed the world, as $130 billion of debt was cancelled because of this mass protest, with buses bringing campaigners from Europe.
The commemorative plaque reads: “Debt Justice Birmingham group played a significant role in the golden jubilee debt campaign that won $130 billion debt relief for lower income countries. Here, on 16 May 1998, 70,000 people surrounded a global leaders’ summit to create pressure for change.”
Debt Justice is our first Treemembrance planting!
Ruth (original member) and Richard Tetlow, part of the organisation, liaised with Birmingham TreePeople to plant a commemorative tree under the Treemembrance programme, to honour that day and the greatness that was achieved. Rachel Stevens, a 90-year-old campaigner was in attendance, along with Matt Gardener of Debt Justice current staff, John Nightingale who raised £2,000 for the campaign and the current Birmingham branch Chair, David Nicholls also of Debt Justice and a Smethwick Labour Councillor, Izzy Knowles local Councillor for Moseley, John Cotton (who participated in 1998) of Birmingham City Council who planted the tree, Heidi Chow the current Head of the Debt Justice Campaign, and many others up towards 50 people in attendance!
Let’s not forget the crew that helped organise the logistics of the event! Julianne Statham BTP Trustee for Treemembrance, and Ian McDermott BTP Trustee and Trainer. Emma McAuliffe of BCC, the digging and planting team Jez and Kam. As well as everyone behind the scenes who pulled together to make this day a truly fantastic celebration.
Julianne, who provided the images and captions, said, “With the Gingko’s reputation for long living, it will serve as a lasting memorial to the power of ordinary people, to be able to change the world.”
Krish and Raghav Kumar, BTP volunteers, professionally photographed by Phil Formby for Woodland Trust’s Tree Equity Score.
Originally assisting The Woodland Trust as consultants during the preliminary phase, Birmingham TreePeople contributed towards the launch of WT’s Tree Equity Score, by demonstrating and explaining some of the work we have already been doing in the City of Birmingham, with the Urban Forest Masterplan.
BTP’s relationship with WT has developed further, as both charities are contributing towards the Urban Forest Accelerator, where our joint focus on tree equity is a prominent feature of the project. BTP have been planting in the wards we have due to those areas having low tree equity. So, what exactly is Tree Equity, and why does it matter to us?
Low tree equity means that an area is lacking in trees, and an area with high tree equity has most benefits of green spaces. That’s why our priority wards targeted areas with lower canopy cover, to raise the tree equity. WT says on their new page: ‘Tree equity is the idea that all communities have equitable access to the benefits of trees where they live. While some urban areas enjoy abundant greenery and tree cover, others lack these essential natural assets.’
Tree Equity Photography, Nechells
Charlotte McDermott, BTP’s Communications Officer, along with Krish Kumar and Raghav Kumar, took the lovely group from WT (Catherine, Amber, and Phil) to Nechells, one of our priority wards where we planted with the community last year, to capture many professional photos of good and bad tree equity, including our wonderful urban forest volunteers to be the face of the equity score campaign.
Raghav and Krish outside the Queens and Home Towers in Nechells, where BTP planted last year.
It was a hot summer day in Nechells, and we had a nice time at the photoshoot. Catherine interviewed our keen volunteers about their relationship with nature and why they volunteered, the young men also proved to be incredibly photogenic, and Raghav showed Phil (professional photographer) some of his amateur photography skills!
Different Tree Equity around Nechells.
We would like to thank Andy Allison, BCC Tree Officer, for providing the planting maps that Charlotte used to show WT around Nechells and its specific the planting locations. Not only this time, but for every planting session! We look forward to working with our partners this year to propel our projects even further.
For the final community planting day of 2023, Bromford received a myriad of new trees. It was a warm and welcome occasion, even though it’s Winter now. We dug and planted trees alongside Birmingham City Council’s Woodland Team and a few Tree Officers, Open Door, and Friends of Hodge Hill Common. Our wonderful BTP team consisted of Katy Hawkins, Julianne Statham, and Steve Watson.
Hazel, a local resident, was able to have a gingko she chosen planted, and many other community members helped. Katy and Cath Fletcher (Open Door Green Connector) liaised to organise this special planting day across Bromford. Lisa Hodge and Jo Green from FOHHC were also present! Jo getting into the spirit by pretending to be a tree to mark the planting spot (image at the top).
In the spirit and ongoing theme of welcoming ceremonies, focusing on mindfulness and the connection between us and nature, the tree was lowered with the aid of instruments. They were also delicately decorated for Christmas, to celebrate together for our last community planting day for 2023. Laughs were had and songs were almost sung – well done everybody!
Barry planting a gingko.Jo having the first dig.Hazel and her new gingko.
We planted 6 new trees on the Vauxhall Road estate this morning. They were planted alongside Nechells POD and their lovely members, who got stuck right in with the digging!
Two Autumn Purples, two redwoods, and two planes have graced the green space in Nechells. This is thanks to Katy of BTP, Chantelle Henry from the POD and the wonderful group, as well as Malcolm, Mark, and Steve from the Woodland team.
There were a lot of bricks, but the hard work was worth it, thanks to the joint effort. We also enjoyed some leafy teas and coffee afterwards to warm up. Agatha, a regular POD member, read a beautiful poem she wrote for Christmas to welcome the new trees. The new redwoods and planes have been decorated to celebrate!
A huge thanks to the Woodland team again for their fantastic support, Chantelle, Katy, and Andy of Birmingham City Council for organising this community planting. We look forward to more tree walks in the New Year!
Chantelle’s laminated tags to decorate the newly planted trees on Bloomsbury and Vauxhall with the teams that did so!
If you look closely, you can see Simon, Lee, and Majid, from the last planting session with the POD.
After the residents were given the chance to vote between two tree species, the Japonica was chosen to be the newly planted tree today at Windsor Place, Nechells.
Katy Hawkins of BTP, Birmingham City Council‘s Woodland team (Steve and Mark), and Michael from Sheltered Housing, organised this residential tree planting and have worked hard to add this new tree to the growing green space.
Naima, one of the lovely residents at Windsor Place, Nechells, kindly joined us for the tree planting (thank you!). We all shared some coffee and laughs during the crisp planting morning.
We christened the tree altogether! Jackie Japonica was a suggested name, but we also wanted to name the tree using all our initials. However, there were too many consonants… therefore we decided on ‘Windsor’. Welcome to Nechells, Windsor!
Huge thanks to Michael and the Woodland team for all their help, and we look forward to the next one!
Windsor has their roots in the ground! So when is the next one?
We wanted to remind everyone our next community planting will take place Sunday 17th Dec, at the Home and Queens Tower blocks in Nechells. Katy and Charley, pictured left, would love to see you there, especially if you’re a resident! Contact us if you’d like more information.
Andy Allison (BCC) and Ian McDermott (BTP) at the storage yard.
The sizable, white willow tree is situated next to a busy, residential car park, attached to an apartment complex. The tree in question was surrounded by fresh, upturned soil on one side, but the tree is fully-grown and not recently planted. This indicated that the tree had lifted out of the ground, leaning to one side with wind pressure. The roots ripped up from the ground and scattered the soil around it. The tree clearly wobbled on its side and set back down, but this cannot last. A stronger wind will cause the tree to completely topple, thus landing on the packed car park.
Peter Hill (BCC) marking the newly found hazard on TreePlotter.
An emergency tree removal request has been initiated upon finding the ‘dodgy’, hazardous tree. Without the tree planting celebrations of Tree Week, and the diligent work of these three individuals finalising the tree pit locations, the tree would have eventually fallen onto the adjacent parking. Now that it has been discovered, the community compound will be safe from the oversized, deteriorating tree. A big thanks to them all for locating and promptly dealing with this unstable willow.
We were joined by many enthusiastic nature-lovers in Nechells last Saturday 9th December, for our #TreeWeekplanting on Bloomsbury Street. Our BTP team consisted of Simon, Katy, and Sue, who worked with Nechells POD, Lee Marsham, Majid Mahmood, 5 local adults and 6 children to help Gristwood And Toms plant 8 new trees.
Gristwood and Toms helped us plant these trees last weekend. Thank you both!
The weather never deterred us! The holes were dug thanks to G&T, and the local community thoroughly enjoyed the sound enhanced planting ceremony with Cllr Mahmood. The arts and crafts session provided the kids a chance to shine with their artistic, wooden tree-tags and decorations with a Christmas theme. The POD, Councillor Marsham and Cllr Mahmood have posted some fantastic photos and videos of their own. If you haven’t seen their posts over the weekend, definitely take a peek on their social media channels!
Simon, Katy, and Lee helping secure stakes and attach ties.
We would like to thank each and every high-spirited individual or organisation who helped us get these beautiful trees planted in Nechells. Another big step has been taken towards a greater, greener Birmingham!
The tree tags took the form of wooden tree globes, running up to Christmas. What a lovely way to decorate and celebrate the new trees!
We have more planting opportunities in the coming weeks. This Wednesday 13th there will be planting in Nechells again (Windsor and Vauxhall Places). Queens and Home Towers will be on the 17th. There will also be another session with the POD on the 18th on Vauxhall Road. If you’d like to join us, everyone is welcome.
