Islington Lib Dems get tough on tree protection

10.50.37am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 17th Jun 2008

Islington's Liberal Democrat councillors have promised robust action to protect Islington's trees from the axe.

A motion has been submitted to the council by the Lib Dem group committing the council to a presumption against cutting down trees. Where trees need to be cut down, the council has committed to planting more larger, mature trees to replace them, and to improving information given to residents.

In Islington there are 10,600 street trees, 15,300 trees in parks, and 12,000 on housing estates. The council has planted 403 new trees so far this year, and according to figures compiled by the GLA has more street trees per kilometre than any other London borough.

The latest commitments by the Lib Dem council follow a series of high-profile protests by residents groups over the felling of their local trees.

Islington Tree Czar, Councillor Ruth Polling, said:

"We all love trees, and in Islington the Liberal Democrat council has done more than anywhere else in London to look after and improve our tree stock. But people have told us they want more robust protection for existing trees - and so do I.

"We can't promise that no more trees will be cut down - they are living things that get old and die, and sometimes building new schools or homes will have to take priority - but we do pledge that we will start with the assumption that trees should be kept. And we will always work with residents to keep them informed when our trees do need to be removed."