Tree planting data

Dear Abdul

Re: Request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000

Thank you for your request for information.

I can confirm your request has been passed to the relevant department who will endeavour to search for any information held and provide you with a response as soon as is possible. This will be within 20 working days and in any case by the 2nd August 2023.

Yours sincerely,
Sophie

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Dear Adbul

Thank you for your request dated 5 July for information about tree planting.

Unfortunately insufficient information has been provided in order for the Council to locate the information you have requested.

In order for us to consider your request please can you provide further details regarding the information you specifically require as below.

1. All documents related to where to plant trees? - Please clarify if this is where the Council are intending to plant trees from now, general information on proposed sites, or documents related to planting locations from past/previous plantings (back to 2020)?

2. Long term management plans for planted trees? - Please clarify if this is in relation to trees which are already in the ground now (from 2020), and whether "management plans" refers to maintenance arrangements i.e. watering schedules/pruning records or something else?

As soon as the Council receives the above requested clarification your request will be processed and responded to accordingly and in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, within 20 working days.

Please note, if we do not receive a reply within 2 months of this request for further clarification no further action will be taken and your request for information will be withdrawn.

Yours sincerely

Many thanks
Ellen Dook

Information Governance Officer
Corporate Resources
City of Doncaster Council

Phone 01302 736745
Address Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU
Website www.doncaster.gov.uk

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Dear Abdul,

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 5 July 2023 for information about tree planting. Please find below City of Doncaster Council’s responses to the questions you have raised.

Since the 2020 financial year can you publish.
1. All documents related to where to plant trees?
Response: See spreadsheet for locations, species and number of trees planted by Street Scene for 2020-2023. We are unable to break it down into just street trees due to differing definitions on what we determine is a ‘street tree’ or not, therefore we have provided the full planting lists.

2. Long term management plans for planted trees?
Response: Council policy is that all newly planted trees are subject to constant (weekly/fortnightly) inspection during the summer months, depending on weather conditions each year this would be usually between April and September. This is carried out by the Street Scene operatives undertaking tree watering and general maintenance of the young trees.
Tree watering is carried out on all new trees planted by street scene as a minimum once a fortnight or once a week where resources allow. Trees are given an average of 50 litres per week/100 litres per fortnight. Where it is identified by the operatives that there are trees struggling or appearing to be de-hydrated, additional water is given or more frequent visits are made as required. Difficult to establish trees, such as Christmas trees, are given twice the amount or double the frequency of watering to enable the best chance of establishment/survival.
The Council aim to do a twice-yearly walkover inspection of all new plantings, completed by a qualified tree inspector, to determine if any trees may require additional work, watering, or if they have died. Any that are found to be dead or in a condition defined as unlikely to recover, will be added to the following years planting list where funding allows. Where there are multiple failures to establish a specific tree, further investigation may take place to try to ascertain the reason which may include, soil type, soil quality, water retention of the soil, vandalism etc.

3. Survival rates of planted trees?
Response:
2020-2021: 188 Planted
• 14 Vandalised or stolen (7.44%)
• 4 Failed to establish (2.12%)
• 90.44% Overall survival rate

2021-2022: 251 Planted
• 6 Vandalised or stolen (2.39%)
• 4 Failed to establish (1.59%)
• 96.02% Overall survival rate

2022-2023: 332 Planted
Review/inspections of this year’s plantings not yet finalised, data gathered so far indicates:
• To date: 6 Vandalised (1.8%)
• To date: 98.2% Overall survival rate

I hope that this information is useful to you.

The City of Doncaster Council estimates that it has cost £42.50 to respond to this request for information.

Reviewing any decisions made:

If you are not happy with this reply you can ask us to review our response. To do this write to us within 40 working days of receiving your response at the address below or email [email address]

If you do not agree with the review decision you can apply to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a decision about our compliance or otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Contact details for the ICO are: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. www.ico.org.uk Telephone 0303 123 1113.

Ellen Dook
Information Governance Officer
Corporate Resources
City of Doncaster Council

Address Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU
Website www.doncaster.gov.uk

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