Trees and the environment policy
| Policy 21 |
Trees and the Bromley Biodiversity Action Plan The council will seek to support the Bromley Biodiversity Action Plan aims and objectives through its tree and woodland management. |
| Policy description | The council will seek to enhance biodiversity at council owned and maintained sites in the borough. |
| Implementation | The council will follow the best practice guidelines for sustainable woodland management as set out in Appendix E of the Bromley Biodiversity Action Plan. |
| Strategic objective delivery | SO1 |
| Policy 22 |
Supporting partnerships The council will provide arboricultural support and advice to its partners. |
| Policy description | Partnership groups make a valued contribution to Bromley’s environment. |
| Implementation |
The council will provide advice and support to its established partnership groups, including but not limited to:
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| Strategic objective delivery | SO5 |
| Policy 23 |
Veteran and ancient trees The council will promote a programme of recording and protecting veteran and ancient trees in the borough and instigate a programme of management and succession planting. |
| Policy description | N/A |
| Implementation |
Many of the council’s veteran and ancient trees are already recorded on the council’s asset management system following survey. However specific management practices are best practice for these trees which are a highly valuable resource. Therefore, the council will launch a programme of recording and mapping of these trees and will seek to produce management plans for Bromley’s veteran and ancient trees, whether on public or private land. The council will engage volunteers to support this work as part of its aims to promote the value of trees to residents. |
| Strategic objective delivery | SO4, SO5 |
| Policy 24 |
Pests and diseases The council will adopt practices to control and contain the outbreak of known pests and diseases. |
| Policy description | Over the last few decades, the UK has experienced increasing threat to plant biosecurity as pathways for new organisms have opened, resulting in increasing number of plant disease and pathogen outbreaks in relation to trees. |
| Implementation | The council will prioritise resources in a timely fashion to deal with threats from pests and disease and will liaise closely with the Forestry Commission and London Tree Officers Association on issues of biosecurity. |
| Strategic objective delivery | SO1, SO4 |
| Policy 25 |
Green corridors The council will support initiatives for Green Corridors where grant funding is secured for delivery. |
| Policy description |
Green Corridors create continuous links of street trees to join up areas of countryside with parks and open spaces in urban locations. As an Outer London Borough, Bromley’s geography make it particularly suited as a place for Green Corridor creation. In 2014, the first Green Corridor was designated running from Court Road, Orpington through Cray Avenue, Sevenoaks Way, Midfield Way and St Pauls Wood Hill. The Corridor has a local designation with a commitment to replace trees that have reached the end of their life with ecologically important native species. |
| Implementation |
Where Green Corridors can be implemented, species selected for planting will be native, large specimens in maturity, with the aim of:
The council will strategically identify other routes for designation as Green Corridors where funding for tree planting becomes available. |
| Strategic objective delivery | SO1, SO2, SO5 |