Join the Green Party Protest to Save Canterbury Trees
Canterbury District Green Party joins growing calls for council chiefs to put an immediate halt on the imminent felling of mature trees in the city centre.
“In a climate emergency, felling trees is a very odd thing to do and is deeply concerning. There is no justification for destroying these urban trees which provide huge environmental benefit,” says local Green Party member Anna Peckham. Anger is growing at the realisation that these trees, currently festively festooned, will soon be razed to the ground as part of the council’s Tory-led scheme for the regeneration of St George’s Street.
Canterbury District Green Party fully supports the petition started by a concerned resident and urges people to sign it. While Greens favour new tree planting, this should not be at the expense of existing trees. The council claim that planting several smaller trees mitigates the felling of mature trees but this argument is not supported by the evidence, in fact the opposite is true. Mature trees absorb significantly more CO2 and pollution while providing shade, habitat and many more benefits including to health and wellbeing.
Newly elected Green councillor Clare Turnbull said, “I am shocked that the council is even considering removing mature trees in the midst of a climate emergency. These trees need protection but unfortunately, the council recently rejected a proposal for the appointment of a tree officer. As a Green Party councillor, I will be actively fighting for trees and green spaces across the district and petitioning the council to establish a dedicated tree and hedgerow officer.”
In their response to the consultation, Canterbury District Green Party questioned the logic of keeping just one tree in situ at the pedestrianised Rose Lane end of the street as a “focal point” while removing the tree at the heavily polluted Canterbury Lane end where it provides a much-needed focal point. Anna Peckham states “This beautiful well-established silver maple enhances the non-pedestrianised end of the street and is visible even from New Dover Road. It is situated next to ugly bollards in a traffic-filled pollution hotspot so why remove it? Felling this tree and others will cause significant environmental damage – it is senseless vandalism”.
While other cities are introducing measures to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, Canterbury is doing the opposite, depriving its population of the many benefits of mature urban trees.
SAVE OUR TREES
Join local Greens and others to protest
Saturday 18th December
12 noon
Meet by the large tree at Canterbury Lane end of St George’s Street (near bollards at end of the precinct)
Further information
Canterbury District Green Party website
Twitter @Whit Greens
Facebook: @CanterburyDistrictGreenParty
Petition: Save Canterbury high street trees
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