GridLine
Newsletter for National Grid Company grantors
Autumn 2003
Minister starts
tree tag drive
ATURE Conservation Minister Ben
Bradshaw has launched a National
Grid Transco/Tree Council campaign to
protect hedge trees.
The aim is to ensure there is no net
loss of hedgerow trees in the UK, helping
to meet one of the National Biodiversity
Action Plan targets.
Tagging saplings is the first stage of
the campaign — making them more
visible so that anyone cutting hedges
knows to avoid them. The modern
practice of flailing hedges every year with
mechanical cutters means that saplings
normally get trimmed back, along with
the hedge, giving them no chance to
grow into trees.
And National Grid grantors are being
encouraged to help.
“Anyone who wants to get involved
simply has to get in touch with our
wayleaves team, who will supply the
brightly-coloured tags,” said NGT
community relations manager Sean
Regan.
“Safety is the company’s highest
priority and an important part of our
maintenance programme is to manage
the growth of trees near high-voltage
overhead lines, helping to protect the
public and the network by maintaining
statutory safety clearance,” said Sean.
“That, along with our environmental
commitment, is why we are delighted to
support the hedge tree campaign.”
Tags, and a tagging tips leaflet, are
also available from The Tree Council.
The scheme was launched at an
Oxfordshire farm. Mr Bradshaw said: “The
tagging of hedgerow trees is another
practical way for farmers and landowners
to show their growing concern for the
English countryside. This initiative is a way
of helping them to do this.”
N
Tagging an ash tree… Nature Conservation Minister Ben Bradshaw, centre, with Tree Council
chairman Caroline Davies and Gareth Llewellyn, group head of safety, environment and
corporate responsibility for National Grid Transco
The leaflet emphasises the importance
of seeking permission from farmers and
landowners before any tree tagging.
“We want volunteers to get in touch
with farmers and landowners and offer to
help them by tagging hedge tree saplings
for them,” said Jon Stokes, the Tree
Council’s director of community projects.
“The success of this campaign depends
on volunteers gaining permission and
then tagging safely and responsibly — it
is then up to the farmers and landowners
to make sure the hedge-cutter operators
leave tagged saplings to grow into
mature trees.”
q To obtain free hedge tags (while stocks
last) contact our wayleaves team (address
on the back page) or The Tree Council,
51 Catherine Place, London SW1E 6DY.
E-mail:
[email protected].
Website: www.treecouncil.org.uk