Trees toppled by Storm Eunice in Portsmouth will be replaced, says city council
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Dozens of trees were blown down on council-owned land - mostly in the city's parks - by gusts from storms Eunice and Franklin and were cleared by contractor Colas.
Cabinet member for climate change Kimberly Barrett said it was 'sad' to see so many come down but added that it was an 'opportunity' to scale up planting efforts in some of the 39 affected areas.
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Hide Ad‘We will replant trees we've lost wherever possible, either directly replacing the lost trees of increasing numbers of trees at particular sites,' she said. 'Over the next few days we will be assessing each one to work out what we can do.
‘We are constantly looking for ways to increase planting because these schemes are so beneficial, not just by absorbing carbon dioxide and air pollution but also in terms of visual appearance and the positive mental impact that can have.’
She said replacements would be planted later in the year with the current planting season nearing its end and that the new trees would be more established rather than younger whips.
'It's sad to have lost some of these older trees but it can be a blessing in disguise in many cases,' Cllr Barrett added. 'Although they may appear healthy, many of them are older or diseased and reaching the end of their life and clearing them will mean we have space to increase planting in many cases.'
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Hide AdOn top of the damaged trees, the storm saw more than a dozen fences and walls destroyed as well as seven lampposts and ten incidents of roof damage.
Colas business manager Ray Muscat said the storm damage and been 'widespread and, in some cases, extensive'.
‘This is one of the worst storms we have experienced since the [city council] contract began in 2004,' he said.
This week the council revealed a separate scheme that will see trees and shrubs planted in Portsmouth after it was given £79,000 by the Trees for Cities scheme. It wants to hear ideas on where they should go.