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| Partnerships and projects
The Forestry Commission's London Region is currently working on the following projects and intiatives: The London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme The London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme is the Forestry Commission's Community Grant Scheme for London, it provides grants to projects that deliver community benefits to schools, open spaces and woodlands in Greater London. The scheme is administered by Groundwork London on behalf of the Forestry Commission. For further information on how to apply click here The Mayor's Street Tree Programme Additionally, the Mayor of London has committed to funding an expansion of the Forestry Commission's London Tree and Woodland Grant Scheme, as part of his goal to make London a greener city. This will provide 10,000 street trees over the next four years in 40 areas across London. For further information on how to apply for this grant click here. A Tree and Woodland Spatial Framework Working with partners to produce the Tree and Woodland Spatial Framework that can be used as an on-line tool for directing resources, tree planting and improved woodland management in those areas of London where these will bring the greatest benefits to disadvantaged communities Games Forest for 2012 Games. Working with London 2012 through the Biodiversity Strategy Group on the concept of providing five Games Forests for the London 20102 Games. Games Arboretum for 2012 Games Working with London 2012 through the Biodiversity Strategy Group on the concept of providing a Games Arboretum in London for the London 20102 Games. Woodfuel Working with partners to encourage the concept and delivery of woodfuel from the arisings of urban tree management and improved woodland management in London. Notably a European Union bid (Interreg), The Tree Station Group and London 2012's renewable energy aspirations for the Games Park. Management Guidelines The production of best practice management guidelines under the Capital Woodlands Project to assist woodland owners in London to improve biodiversity and woodland management generally. Certification Encouraging woodland owners in London to certificate the maangement of their woodlands. Two London boroughs are now certified, Croydon and Bromley. Under The Captial Woodlands Project the aim is to have all the CWP Flagships sites certified. Woodland Conference Under the Caital Woodlands Project the Forestry Commission is organising a woodland Conference to be held on the 1st of December 2008 at City Hall to highlight the importance of London's woodlands and achieve the redirection of resources into their management that is required to maximise their potential and secure their future for all Londoners. Click here to access information on this Woodland Conference Tree Strategies Comprehensive Tree Strategy Guidance is being produced for the London Boroughs aimed at encouraging those local authorities without Tree and Woodland Strategies to produce one. The draft document has been Peer reviewed and is now available for public consultation. Comprehensive Tree Strategy Guidance (PDF 101kb) If you have any comments please send them to Jim Smith the London Tree and Woodland Framework Manager at jim.c.smith@forestry.gsi.gov.uk by Friday the 29th of August 2008. Large Landscape Trees in Development The Forestry Commission is in discussions with CIRIA (the Construction Industry Research and Information Association) to work with other partners in producing new guidance on integrating large landscape trees into new development as part of their "Building Greener" initiative. LTOA Risk Limitation Strategy Assisting the London Tree Officer's Association in producing its Risk Limitation Strategy for Tree Root Claims and has been helping with training days to inform local authority tree officers about use of the document. Trees and Design Action Group The Forestry Commission's London Region is a principal partner in the Trees and Design Action Group, a group of individuals and organisations covering tree interests, developers, architects, designers and built environment professionals. It has produced a ten point action plan to improve the lot of trees in the built environment. It is producing guidelines for maximising the potential for large landscape trees on development sites and on tree valuation. Click here for the TDAG Homepage and to download a PDF copy of the guidelines Joint Mitigation Protocol. Facilitated the production of the Joint Mitigation Protocol (JMP). This is an agreed method of subsidence claims management where trees are implicated as being the cause of building movement. It seeks to establish best practice in the processing and investigation of tree root induced building damage, benchmarking time scales for responses and standards of evidence. It has taken three years of negotiation and effort to reach the point of publication, due on the 16th of May 2008. During the course of negotiations the Protocol Group has included and benefited from the input of insurers, local authority tree and risk managers, loss adjusters, engineers and arboricultural consultants. Its principal aims are to speed up the process of claims handling, decision making and mitigation implementation leading to resolution, while at the same time recognising the value of trees in the built environment and providing local authorities with all the investigative evidence required at the beginning of the process. A timely decision may then be made on what course of action is appropriate in respect of the tree. It represents a considerable achievement, as for the first time, building insurers and their agents have agreed that remedial pruning may be considered as an option rather than always asking for tree removal. It is hoped that adoption of the Joint Mitigation Protocol by individual local authorities and insurers alike as an agreed and mutually beneficial process will foster co-operation and partnership working between the two sectors. Trees that should be retained will be and claims will be processed quickly so resident’s properties are repaired without unnecessary delay. A register of signatories to the JMP is currently being produced and will be held centrally on the London Tree Officers Association website Joint Mitigation Protocol (PDF 41kb) If you are a local authority, insurer, loss adjuster, arboricultural consultant or a company working within the field of building subsidence and wish to follow the principles laid out in the Protocol please send your completed Register form to The London Tree Officers Association so that your commitment to follow the JMP can be recorded and disseminated to other like-minded organisations. Tree Evaluation. The Forestry Commission's London region has been assisting the London Tree Officer's Association in developing the tree valuation system CAVAT (Capital Asset Valuation of Amenity Trees). The system's full method is being used to value trees in respect of insurance claims and is the preferred method for the Joint Mitigation Protocol. CAVAT's quick method of valuation is also being used by London boroughs as an effective management tool in assisting the redirection of resources Climate Adaptation Assisting the Mayor of London in the Right Trees for a Changing Climate Project. Managing the Right Trees website www.right-trees.org.uk which provides a database of trees to assist land management professionals in making the right tree species choices so that London is made more resilient in the face of climate change.
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