Council motion on importance of trees around the district

Council motion on importance of trees around the district

8 January 2025

A MOTION is being brought forward at January’s full meeting of Newry, Mourne and Down Council on the importance of looking after trees in the area.

The motion aims to educate and raise awareness of the vital role of trees in the fight against climate change and their value in enhancing the health and wellbeing of people and communities. 

The motion is being brought forward by Mournes Alliance councillor Jill Truesdale, who said she wanted to “actively support efforts to plant and protect the right trees in the right places and for the right reasons, ensuring that everyone can share in the benefits trees provide”.

Her motion comes on the back of Alliance MLA Peter McReynolds’ private members’ bill submitted at Stormont.

The proposal for a Tree Protection Bill, submitted in July, aims to introduce dedicated legal protection for Northern Ireland’s oldest and most significant trees was warmly welcomed by the Woodland Trust and others.

The bill seeks to strengthen the protection provided through Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) to create a new ‘Heritage Tree’ designation specifically to protect and support Northern Ireland’s oldest and most significant trees.

Ms Truesdale said Islands Park and Castle Park in Newcastle needed better protection and were also “ideal places for educating people about our rich heritage of trees”.

She said: “When the Shimna flood alleviation work took place, we lost a large portion of ancient trees in Tipperary Wood. According to the environmental assessments at the time, this was to be mitigated by the replanting of Irish native oak in the area. 

“Unfortunately, the replaced trees were silver birch, a species not enticing to the displaced bats.

“The planting of silver birch wasn’t noticed until the actual trees went in. As I wasn’t elected I enquired why this was happening and was told native Irish oak could not be sourced.”

She continued: “Obviously had I been elected I would have been able to do more, but I found it incredulous that Irish oak could not have been sourced in Ireland.

“While silver birch is good for insects and butterflies as well as flood protection, we have displaced a valuable bat population and this could have been avoided with better tree protection.

Imbalance

“Some people might wonder why that matters but put very simply when you create imbalance in an ecosystem there will be consequences. Bats eat up to 3,000 midges every night. If, like me, you like a walk around the woods or park with a few less midges, then we need bats.”

Ms Truesdale also outlined how she has requested the council’s biodiversity officer to consider looking at a new initiative taken up by Belfast City Council to alleviate flooded paths on popular walking routes through nature-based concepts.

She said: “The paths in Islands Park are well used by children going to school, dog walkers and mums and tots as they are safe, flat and in good condition, as well as being within a beautiful, peaceful park. 

“I managed to get eco grids put in at the Bryansford Road entrance by showing that this was a well-used path and short cut. Even though the flood alleviation works now saving many homes from flooding, the park now floods on a much more regular basis.

“Depending on the tide and rainfall, there is little to be done until one or the other subsides. However, it does seem to flood on the paths very easily outside of heavy rainfall and high tides.”

Ms Truesdale continued: “Islands Park is a hidden gem of a place, as everyday users will tell you. There is an array of birds, including kingfishers, herons, dippers, cormorants, the occasional otter and, for the first time in decades, a swan.

“We must support this crucial ecosystem but not look upon it in isolation within the park because, as the ecological survey commissioned for the repair of the Shimna River retaining walls shows, we are losing wildlife at an alarming rate.”

“We can see the area changing with the exposure and build up of silt beds in front of the library and under the Shimna bridge, this is to be expected as we have fresh water meeting salt, but it is something that can be mitigate against,” she said.

“Having spoken to the engineers within the Rivers Agency, I am in no doubt they are the ultimate experts in this but my concern is that the council are refusing to step up to the mark as the riparian land owners.” 

Ms Truesdale added: “In an ideal world my wish would be for them to work together to repair the weir, the retaining walls and look to more nature-based solutions to benefit the health and well-being of the people who live and visit the area.

“I want to bring this motion to work to create better solutions and education and to highlight the many beautiful small parks throughout our district.”