Minutes:
The Project Advisory Group received a presentation from Kent County Council’s (KCC) Natural Environment and Coast Manager (NECM). Following KCC’s stated aim of establishing 1.5 million trees to support its strategy of achieving a net zero carbon emissions target, the authority had commissioned further work to look at alternative ideas such as nature-based solutions that would tackle climate change in the county as well as offering social, economic, health and wellbeing benefits.
The NECM advised that there were five habitat areas present in the county which were set out in the report. Woodland was the most abundant, semi-natural habitat present. There were major challenges in harnessing the benefits of grassland habitats, not least because they were fragmented. The potential for using inland wetlands and waterways for carbon capture and storage was probably limited. She emphasised the need to make the correct interventions in the right places.
In response to Member queries the NECM advised that, whilst the idea of residents planting trees in streets was commendable, there could be highways and maintenance issues, the latter being labour intensive for the first few years and hindered by the county being prone to water scarcity and drought. There was a number of schemes that supported the planting of street trees. Whilst these offered funding opportunities, they were often subject to tight timescales which made it difficult for KCC to respond in time with its limited resources. KCC was in the process of drawing up a tree strategy that would set out an action plan to deliver its tree target. A tree strategy officer would be recruited to develop the strategy in consultation with partners, including the Highways team and district councils. It was anticipated that the strategy would be finalised and adopted by the end of 2021. One of the key principles of the strategy would be to review how existing trees were protected. Whilst the government was expecting every upper tier authority to have a strategy, it was for individual lower tier authorities to decide whether to have one or not. Whilst the target was for net zero carbon emissions by 2050, an ambitious interim target would be set for 2030 which included the objective of planting one tree for every KCC employee and household.
The Head of Commercial Services commented that there was a public perception that verges and other grassed areas such as churchyards were being left unmown in order to save money rather than because authorities wished to encourage biodiversity and help the environment. The NECM advised that a public perception survey had concluded in May, attracting 4,500 responses and with the majority of respondents being in favour of wilder verge management. She commented that Member support was needed for a policy of leaving verges unmown.
Councillor C A Vinson asked whether a cost-benefit analysis had been carried out on some of the proposed measures. He also stressed the importance of informing the public about the Council’s policy of leaving grassed areas unmown (e.g. Marke Wood playground) as the public simply thought these areas had been left unmown due to neglect or to save money. He suggested that new residential developments offered some of the greatest opportunities for introducing nature-based solutions.
The NECM thought the idea of costing the measures was interesting and worth investigating. However, she cautioned that it was likely to be complex and sometimes impossible in practical terms. There was no doubt that delivering nature-based solutions was far from straightforward and there would be hurdles to overcome. She commented that social media was the best way of getting the Council’s message out to the public. In response to the Head of Assets and Building Control, she advised that coppiced woodland had carbon capture potential, as well as biodiversity value and an economic benefit in terms of a saleable product and job creation. She added that carbon capture was an emerging field which was attracting a high level of interest.
AGREED: That the presentation and report be noted.