Just planting trees won’t save the planet; but it will certainly help.
Trees reinvigorate nature and capture some of the tons of carbon being pumped out by our homes, factories, offices and vehicles. Not just that; they can inspire us in their leaf colours (especially this long autumn), by their shady canopies in the summer, by giving refuge to songbirds, and generally making us feel better.
Trees also need looking after, mulching and watering when young or newly planted, properly staked and sometimes netted to withstand wind and worse, and protected from any small creatures with sharp teeth. They also need to be the right trees for the right site and conditions, and planted in the right places, so that roots won’t intrude, branches break or foliage block the light of nearby residents.
All this means that planting trees on public land takes a great deal of time and preparation.
All the more reason to celebrate the planting of around 16 trees on 23 November 2022 on a little-used area of the Queen Elizabeth Circle Recreation Area opposite the skatepark in Thame and 35 yards of double hedging in front of the rear of the adjacent garage block.
The trees, planted in groups of 3, 5 and 7, will in time provide a wonderful, linked copse with a fine walkthrough from Roundhead Drive to the kiddies’ play area.
Thanks are due to Hazel Boundy who had the initial idea, the local residents who contributed their ideas, Charles Boundy and Colin Bloxham of Thame Green Living who took it forward, Thame Town Council for supporting it, South Oxfordshire District Council for funding it (especial thanks to Pieter-Paul Barker for facilitating this), John Morris for guidance, Sue Martin-Downhill and Thame Trees for organising planting party and John Singer of Rotary Phoenix and all the enthusiastic planting party from CPM and Richardsons Accountants of Thame who turned out and got stuck in.
Thanks also to Helpful Hirings for the loan of the turf-cutter and JB Tree Services for the supply and delivery of the mulch.
We would like to invite all residents and workers in Thame to go and have a look. To imagine how it will be in the future and what’s possible when there’s a will.
The trees will be listed as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy along with the others planted recently at The Triangle opposite and on Hamilton Road.
Going forward the trees will need maintenance.
Thame Trees has started a new maintenance team (name yet to be agreed). They will be checking on the trees on a regular basis and if needed arranging maintenance.
The main discussions on maintenance will probably take place from Spring of 2023 when we may have to work out how to get water to the trees if the current levels of precipitation don’t change. If you are a resident local to the area we would like to talk to you about the possibility of you helping to water and maybe having a water butt installed to help with this. Contact [email protected] if you would like to help.
We are also collaborating with Thame Town Council to ensure that the trees and hedge are safe when mowing takes place and hope that we are able to agree that the areas of grass within the clumps of trees are allowed to grow slightly longer to allow our local flora and fauna to prosper.
