People in Norwich's Connaught Road are highlighting their feelings over dying trees by decorating them.   

To protest to Norfolk County Council about what has happened, neighbours congregated to decorate the dead street trees with ribbons, leaves, flowers, and messages to officials.  

They hoped it would highlight what they believe are the council’s failure to provide adequate resources for planting new highways, trees, and their maintenance.  

Norwich Evening News: Nelson ward’s tree canopy cover is 13.6% Nelson ward’s tree canopy cover is 13.6% (Image: Julie Young)

READ MORE: 'We'll fight it to the end' - Businesses vow to oppose bus lane plans

Julie Young, Green Party city councillor for Nelson ward said: "Nelson ward’s tree canopy cover is 13.6% which is far lower than the minimum 20% standard for inland towns and cities recommended by Forest Research, part of the Forestry Commission.   

“Norwich has an overall tree canopy coverage of 18.6%, with nine of the city’s thirteen electoral wards below 20%.  

Norwich Evening News: In 2022/23, the County budget allocation for purchasing highways trees for the whole of Norwich was £20,000 which paid for 49 trees In 2022/23, the County budget allocation for purchasing highways trees for the whole of Norwich was £20,000 which paid for 49 trees (Image: Julie Young)

READ MORE: City train driver puts on the brakes as he retires after 50 years

“Green Party councillors want Norwich City Council to set a long-term target for increasing the city’s tree canopy cover to at least 25% and planting more street trees and maintaining them is essential for achieving this goal.”     

In 2022/23, the county budget allocation for purchasing highways trees for the whole of Norwich was £20,000 which paid for 49 trees.  

A citizen survey of street trees in Nelson ward last year found 75 dead or missing street trees and further trees have since died from the heatwaves and drought. 

Norwich Evening News: They decorated the dead street trees with ribbons, leaves, flowers, and messages to Norfolk County Council They decorated the dead street trees with ribbons, leaves, flowers, and messages to Norfolk County Council (Image: Julie Young)

READ MORE: School's search for 50-year-old time capsule hits a snag

A Norfolk County Council spokeswoman said: “Streets such as Connaught Road can be a challenging environment for trees to thrive, especially after long spells of hot dry weather such as those we have experienced last year and this.   

“We follow industry guidance with watering young trees to maximise chances of them establishing successfully, but unfortunately some trees do die.  

Norwich Evening News: Children even helped to decorate them to send a message to the council Children even helped to decorate them to send a message to the council (Image: Julie Young)

"We try to replace those that don’t survive when we can. We have made an application to the Local Authority Tree Fund this year, together with other local councils, to increase tree planting across the county, including in Connaught Road.” 

Norwich Evening News: A citizen survey of street trees in Nelson ward last year found 75 dead or missing street trees A citizen survey of street trees in Nelson ward last year found 75 dead or missing street trees (Image: Julie Young)