Issue - meetings

(i)       to note and endorse the information contained within this report;

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, to explore funding options, including grants and sponsorship to help fund further tree planting in Aberdeen;

(iii)      to thank Arboricultural and Environmental Services teams for the significant work carried out following the winter storms – Arwen, Malik and Corrie;

(iv)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to report annually to the Net Zero, Environment & Transport Committee on progress to objective of the Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan (T&WSIP) approved by Operational Delivery Committee in June 2022;

(v)      to recognise the interconnectedness of the strategic priorities of T&WSIP and the key performance indicators should be considered together; and

(vi)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to take account of the tree planting, woodland and biodiversity objectives included in “A Partnership for Aberdeen” in the upcoming Natural Environment Strategy and to ensure this is in turn included in a refreshed Trees and Woodlands Implementation Plan.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which provided an update on the ongoing work to Aberdeen’s public trees and woodland following the storms of 2021 and 2022.  The report set out information on Environmental Services’ sustainability projects and initiatives undertaken to protect and enhance Aberdeen’s public trees and woodlands including the work to deliver elements of the Tree and Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan.  Finally, the report sought approval for Environmental Services to explore funding options, including grants and sponsorship to help fund further tree planting programmes in Aberdeen.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note and endorse the information contained within the report; and

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services, to explore funding options, including grants and sponsorship to help fund further tree planting in Aberdeen.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to thank Arboricultural and Environmental Services teams for the significant work carried out following the winter storms – Arwen, Malik and Corrie;

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to report annually to the Net Zero, Environment & Transport Committee on progress with the objectives of the Tree & Woodland Strategic Implementation Plan (T&WSIP) approved by Operational Delivery Committee in June 2022;

(iii)      to recognise that the interconnectedness of the strategic priorities of T&WSIP and the key performance indicators should be considered together;

(iv)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to take account of the tree planting, woodland and biodiversity objectives included in “A Partnership for Aberdeen” in the upcoming Natural Environment Strategy and to ensure this was in turn included in a refreshed Trees and Woodlands Implementation Plan; and

(v)      to approve the recommendations contained in the report.