Wirral, United Kingdom
City population: 319680
Duration: 2012 – 2015
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Central Business District / City Centre
Last updated: October 2021

A tree planting programme (part of existing community greening initiative in the Mersey Forest) that is helping to transform Wirral into a thriving economic hub (trees planted on streets including Price Street, Cleveland Street, Argyle Street, and Hamilton Street, which are key transport routes around the Wirral Waters investment area). Trees will also be planted at Wirral Met College, as well as in social housing landscapes and gardens. (Ref. 1, 2). The project was completed in 2015 but similar initiatives have been taking place in Wirral since. There is no apparent connection between these projects and the 2012-15 project. (Ref. 7, 8)

Mersey forest tree planting scheme
https://www.merseyforest.org.uk/news/wirral-street-trees-programme-enters-second-year/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Alley or street trees and other street vegetation

Key challenges

  • Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
  • Climate change adaptation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Enabling opportunities for physical activity
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Real estate development

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

The overall aim is to transform Wirral into a thriving economic hub (the programme takes place in Bidston and Birkenhead). This is done by planting trees as a part of a three-year programme to link residential areas to places of employment and training. By planting trees, the scheme aims to transform grey streets into leafy green thoroughfares, thus improving the area’s prospects for further investment (i.e. trees will lead to jobs by improving the attractiveness of an area improves investor confidence, therefore boosting the local economy). Also, by providing greener routes the project hopes to boost health/wellbeing and promote the use of sustainable transport within Wirral. (Ref. 2) Part of a wider goal (through The Mersey Forest and Local Sustainable Transport Fund) is to help cities/towns adapt to climate change; boosting biodiversity and 'connect together areas of valuable habitat'; and sustainable traveling committed to a low carbon future. (Ref. 2, 4)

Implementation activities

The launch of the second part of the three year programme follows the planting of over 370 trees in Wirral in 2013. (Ref. 2) Benefits: There are positive carbon reduction implications. The planting of trees creates the opportunity to increase the functionality of these proposed Wirral Council assets in terms of increasing carbon sequestration and storage and benefits residents through the actions of shading and cooling effects associated with climate change adaptation. Also, “increased greenery has a net positive effect on the health and wellbeing of residents”. (Ref. 2) By planting trees, the scheme aims to transform grey streets into leafy green thoroughfares, thus improving the area’s prospects for further investment (i.e. trees will lead to jobs by improving the attractiveness of an area improves investor confidence, therefore boosting the local economy) (Ref. 2)

Climate-focused activities

Climate change adaptation:

  • Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
  • Create or improve outdoor spaces to help people escape from urban heat

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • EU body
  • National government
  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society
  • Other

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Taskforce groups
  • Dissemination of information and education
  • Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
  • Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The project is being coordinated by The Mersey Forest. (Ref. 2) The Mersey Forest is a growing network of woodlands and green spaces spread across Cheshire and Merseyside (partnership of organizations, local authorities, community groups, businesses). (Ref. 2) The tree planting is funded by the Local Sustainable Transport Fund through Merseytravel and the Department of Transport and by Forestry Commission's Setting the Scene for Growth Programme as part of the Wirral Green Streets and Green Infrastructure Programme through The Department of Business Innovation and Skills. The project is also supported by European project Interreg ForeStClim. (Ref. 2) The Wirral Council: to undertake future adoption of trees planted on Wirral Council owned land once the scheme is completed and future maintenance responsibility after the expiry of the 5 year maintenance period. (Ref. 3)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The project is supported by European project Interreg ForeStClim. (Ref. 2) )
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (Forestry Commission's Setting the Scene for Growth Programme as part of the Wirral Green Streets and Green Infrastructure Programme through The Department of Business Innovation and Skills. (Ref. 2) )
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (See section above, also: Wirral Waters is a 30-40 year (regeneration) programme of targeted inward investment within the Wirral Council boundary. (Ref. 3) )

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds
  • Public national budget
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

  • Earmarked public budget
  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Climate change
  • Lowered local temperature
  • Enhanced carbon sequestration
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Reduced biodiversity loss
  • Increased number of species present
  • Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales

Economic impacts

  • Attraction of business and investment
  • Other

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health
  • Improved mental health
  • Other

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts, Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

Ref. 1. Wirral Council (2012) Tree Planting and Green Infrastructure Scheme - Green Streets Wirral Waters 2012-2015. Decision details. Information obtained: 2017-07-24. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 2. The Mersey Forest (2014) Wirral street trees programme enters second year. Press Release. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 3. Wirral Council (2012) Cabinet Meeting: Tree planting and Green infrastructure report. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 4. The Mersey Forest (n.d.) How we benefit the environment. Information obtained: 2017-07-24. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 5. The Mersey Forest (n.d.) Displaying plans relating to empowering communities matching green streets. Library. Information obtained: 2017-07-24. [Website not available in 2020]
Ref. 6. Wirral Waters (2011) Indicative economic assessment. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 7. The Mersey Forest Steering Group (2019) THE MERSEY FOREST TEAM REPORT JANUARY 2019. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]
Ref. 8. Higgins, A. (2020) Wirral lands £300k for tree planting scheme. Liverpool Life. Source: Source link [Accessed 25 August 2020]