Vegas comes to Sutton Manor

When the Sutton Manor community decided they wanted trees in their streets they never thought they'd be the inspiration for the filming of a new drama staring a local man called Johnny Vegas.

The Mersey Forest have now planted 92 trees in the streets, and green spaces around Sutton Manor in south St Helens making the area even more attractive to visitors to the nearby Dream Sculpture.

Spring Arrives Early in Sutton Manor

With snowdrops and crocii pushing up through the grass verges, the arrival of 73 new street trees in the streets of Sutton Manor is a welcome sign of spring.The trees a mixture of non fruiting ornamental Pear,Mountain Ash,Cherry and suitably located larger shade trees will make the streets more pleasent areas for walking and cycling to local green spaces such as Sutton Manor home of the Dream Sculpture and the recently improved King George V Playing Fields where an additional 16 American Lime and London Plane trees have been planted to complement 14 Limes planted last year.

Watch this space for an announcement on the forthcoming planting events in the park in March 2012.

Park Improvements to boost tourism in area

Over the next two months, The Mersey Forest, in collaboration with St Helens Council will be making minor improvements to King George V Playing Fields. It is intended to encourage more people to use the park and other local green spaces and attractions in the area, and to make the park itself more welcoming.

These works include the planting of bulbs ,improved access from the car park, painting of fencing, more avenue trees and the creation of small coppice areas and seasonal wildflower planting. Both local community groups and schools have been (bulb planting and ceramic tile designs) and will be involved in activities around these works.

This will makes it easier to access areas like The Dream Sculpture and eventually the newly wooded Lord St Helens tip site, or Brickfields, and encourage residents and visitors to walk and cycle more.

The proposals will not affect existing football pitches and warm up areas alongside these.

These improvements are funding by Cory Environmental Trust’s Landfill Communities Fund, Access to Nature funding from Natural England and The Big Lottery, Setting The Scene For Growth funding through the Forestry Commission and The Big Tree Plant assisted by The Woodland Trust’s MOREwoods programme.

Consultation Event at Shining Lights Centre Sutton Manor

How to get there!
This Wednesday 5-7 p.m.

New funding for street trees in Sutton Manor

Funding from the Northwest Regional Development Agency through the Forestry Commission's Setting The Scene For Growth programme has been secured by The Mersey Forest Green Streets initiative to bring 65 park, verge and pavement trees to Sutton Manor.

Ben Greenaway Green Streets Coordinator said 'these trees will bring greenery to an area lacking in street greenery and will link residents through green routes to their locally improved green spaces such as King George V fields and Sutton Manor home of The Dream'.

'Together with newly greened Lord St Helens local residents will eventually have access to a large network of accessible green space.This has got to be good for the health and well being of residents of south St Helens as well as visitors to the area'!

Images of Previous Delivery in St Helens

See how to apply for a grant at the bottom of the page!!

Here are some photos of the project recently delivered in and around Parr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenstreeter/3364117674/

and Four Acres in St Helens
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenstreeter/3058509099/in/photostream/

Green Streets programme 2009 onwards in St Helens

What has been achieved to date?

The Mersey Forest’s Green Streets programme ran a successful delivery in the Bold Ward in 2007 and 2008, culminating in the delivery of 67 streets trees in pavement locations around the Four Acres estate.
The programme worked with a local group to apply for £6K from Bold Ward Committee and The Mersey Forest brought in additional external funding to deliver a £28K programme.

What are the local strategic reasons?

The key reason for this tree planting was the improvement of the publicly accessible open spaces around the Sutton Manor, Four Acres and Clock Face area. By planting trees the Green Streets programme would not only create local greenery for residents within their immediate neighbourhood, but this would create green linkages for them to walk and cycle to these open spaces and to local facilities like shops,the library and health facilities.

By planting trees, residents are:

· actively involved in taking ownership of their street tree
· in the decision making process (tree location and species choice)
· take pride in their local neighbourhood
· are more likely to get involved in active citizenship in the future

Why St Helens as part of The Mersey Forest wants to plant more trees

filter pollution from the air
help recycle water
prevent soil loss
create shade
give shelter from wind and rain
provide homes for animals
make food for humans and wildlife
provide an interesting, soothing, learning environment for children and your community
a more pleasant environment encourages inward investment in terms of jobs and spend in the local area
mitigate the effects of climate change i.e. by
Reducing the ‘urban heat island effect’ – warming in the winter, cooling in the summer Absorbing water to slow down run off and help prevent flooding

How will The Mersey Forest assist residents who apply?
Green Streets staff will guide the applicant through the full process and encourage involvement where possible through the following steps
· Feasibility study
· Assistance with applications
· Liaison with funders and stakeholders
· evaluation and consultation
. Contract management
· Residential involvement
· Project management
· Successful delivery

How many trees would £10K provide?

This amount may provide up top 20 street trees, or more; subject to location, tree size and type, the number of applications in any given year and the availability of match funding.
www.merseyforest.org.uk/greenstreets