answer text |
<p>As part of the York 5 Year Plan programme of works tree mitigation, the Environment
Agency (EA) has planted 392 trees to date in and around York. This includes 35 in
winter 2020/21, 220 in winter 2021/22, and 137 so far in winter 2022/23. A further
375 trees are due to be planted in this winter’s planting season (up to March 2023).</p><p>In
November 2022, the EA planted approximately 4000 floodplain meadow plants in Rawcliffe
Ings, helping restore approximately 12ha of floodplain meadow within this Site of
Special Scientific Interest, establishing species that are either less abundant or
produce seed outside of the hay collection season. The meadow planting is segregated
into 15 planting areas, with relative wetness assessed based on their elevation. Plant
species were selected according to their tolerance of waterlogging, with dry-loving
plants in drier areas. Each area has been mapped using differential GPS, to track
where specific species have been planted, helping to monitor success. This vital work
will accompany a range of techniques that the EA is adopting to restore the floodplain
meadow in this area, which will work alongside turf translocation, green hay spreading,
brush harvesting and traditional cutting regimes to greatly expand this important
habitat.</p><p>The EA is also planning to plant an additional 710 trees and approximately
400m of hedgerow next winter (2023), along with specialist pot grown Tansy plants
in Clifton Ings and ornamental planting in Museum Gardens.</p><p>Limited tree planting
has taken place yet in the wider Ouse or Foss catchments specifically related to the
York 5 Year Plan programme of works, although the catchment has benefitted from localised
tree planting associated with smaller scale flood risk and environmental projects.</p>
|
|