Biodiversity Work Provides a Boost for Butterflies
 As part of the winter tree planting programme the gardeners at Broxtowe Borough Council have been busy planting trees along an old hedgerow at Leyton Crescent Recreation Ground in Beeston. The trees include Oak, Field Maple and (of particular importance) a number of disease resistant Elms.
Once a common sight very few Elm trees remain, as through the 1970’s Dutch Elm Disease swept across the United Kingdom, killing an estimated 25 million trees.
This was particularly bad news for the White Letter Hairstreak, a butterfly whose caterpillars feed exclusively on Elm and their population now stands at just 3% of what it was before the disease arrived.
Since then horticulturalists have looked to find resistant elms to replace those lost and a number of varieties have now been identified.
It is hoped that as they grow the trees will provide a home for this endangered butterfly, whilst helping to capture carbon from the atmosphere and create a habitat for many other species. In autumn the strip of grass along the hedgerow will be planted with native bulbs and wildflowers to further improve habitat for wildlife.
The work is part of Broxtowe Borough Council’s Green Futures programme, aiming to reduce carbon and increase biodiversity.
Free Tree Birthday Surprise
 All 500 free trees were delivered to residents in the Borough in mid-January. The trees were very well received. One particular good news story came from a resident in Beeston.
"Thank you so much Broxtowe Borough Council for our Prunus serrulata Pink flowering cherry. It was a good sized plant with sturdy roots which I am sure will enjoy being in our garden. As we are hoping to be on the Beeston and Chilwell Garden Trail again (Covid rules permitting) it should by June have good leaves and be a lovely addition to our garden. Thank you again for the generous gift which coincidentally arrived on my birthday!"
If you have your own special story to share with us relating to your free tree please let us know.
A Fruit Tree for Felix
“We registered for a pear tree in 2019, as we’d just had our first child, Felix, and we thought it would be lovely to plant the tree for him in our back garden. With both of us growing up in the countryside we wanted him to have the joy of picking his own fruit like we’d had."
"Felix’s tree is growing beautifully and Felix is already showing an affinity for pears! The scheme is such a wonderful idea and it shows that you don’t need a lot of space or a huge back garden to grow things. Ours is planted in the back garden of our tiny terraced house in the middle of Beeston!” – says Michelle from Beeston
Winter Wonderland
 Nature and the weather has the ability to transform areas overnight with a sprinkling of snow or frost. The image below shows Colliers Wood with its winter coat on. The other striking feature is the colour of the trees with the silvers, whites and reds of the bark and the young shoots on the alder and silver birch trees. This just shows how versatile trees can be providing colour and form throughout the year.
Please be careful when using the parks and green spaces in cold weather. Not only must you follow the COVID-19 guidelines but please make sure you respect the conditions and take great care if the ground is slippery underfoot. If any areas of water are frozen do not attempt to walk on them. The ice is often very thin and potentially dangerous. Please see link to ROSPA's winter safety advice below.
The snow on Sunday 24 January was the most many of us have seen for a long time and again this created the opportunity for some stunning winter photographs.
The one below shows Bramcote Hills Park with a thick canopy of snow.
Creature Calendar
 Each month we will be highlighting a type of bird, animal or insect that you may wish to look out for when using the parks and green spaces in Broxtowe.
Starting us off in February is the Nuthatch. This woodland species is easier to see in February due to the lack of leaves. It is a very smart tree climber with a slate blue upper body and peachy underside. It has an enormous vocal range, listen carefully and you might hear the tap, tap, tap of its beak on bark or on a nut that is ‘hatching’.
It is a regular garden visitor and loves peanuts. It scurries along tree trunks and branches in search of insects. Good places in Broxtowe to see this include King George V Park, Bramcote and Hall om Wong, Kimberley, so if these are your most local parks, try and spot a Nuthatch there over the next few days.
Accessing Green Spaces Safely
We have been asking residents in the local area to remember to stick to their most local park and not make unnecessary trips to other areas during National Lockdown.
Our parks and green spaces play a crucial role in supporting our local community’s physical and mental health – now more so than ever. Lockdowns are stressful for everyone and spending time outside can lead to a dramatic improvement in health and wellbeing at this time, but please remember to act responsibly when visiting our parks and using our play areas.
We would like to ask residents to respect the sites, please follow all COVID -19 restrictions, maintain your distance and look to use the areas at times when they are likely to be less busy. Let’s keep working together to keep Broxtowe safe for everyone.
Parks such as Bramcote Hills Park, particularly at the weekend, are seeing large numbers of families visiting, at peak times of the day, between 11am and 2pm.
Whilst visitors might live in Broxtowe, some are passing closer parks to their homes, to visit this park specifically, which is causing capacity issues, particularly with parking. If the park or open space you are visiting is busy, please consider returning later when it is quieter.
For more information about National Lockdown, visit: www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home
Cator Lane Recreation Ground
In November last year two large ash trees had to be felled at Cator Lane Recreation Ground. The trees were in poor health and had become a potential safety concern. In January, a new fenced copse area was created and over 50 new trees are to be planted.
These will be a mixture including oak and lime trees that will in time replace the large ash trees and a variety of smaller trees such as holly, silver birch and field maple that together with a selection of native shrubs will create a variety of habitats for wildlife. The photograph above shows the stumps of the two trees and the new fenced area ready for planting.
Go Green Challenge
 Nothing is more irritating that litter or people not disposing of their recycling or waste responsibly. We are launching a Go Green Challenge, to share facts, ideas and mini challenges with residents across Broxtowe, who want to reduce their own waste, reuse more and recycle right in our Borough. You can sign up today and get your family involved!
From meal planning tips to how to reuse jam jars, there is plenty to inspire you to challenge what you think you know and get creative at the same time.
Share your creations and discoveries on social media using the hashtag #GoGreenBroxtowe
Garden Waste Subscriptions
There is a lot of interest from residents in Garden Waste 2021/2022 subscriptions already, which is great! We’re pleased you are already planning ahead.
The 2021/22 subscriptions will start being taken in mid-February (for collections from April onwards). Please keep checking our website for details in the coming weeks and look out for the new subscription letters (if you were subscribed for the 2020/2021 year) which will be posted out in mid-February.
If you are unsure if you want to subscribe or renew your subscription, here is a reminder of some of the benefits of this service:
- Reduced trips to the local household waste and recycling centre (using less fuel) and no need for garden waste to be in your vehicle.
- Convenient all year round garden waste removal, from your home.
- Great value at the equivalent of just £1.56 per collection (based on 23 collections).
- Easy payments made online, through Freephone or customer services.
- Collection of leaves, grass cuttings, weeds, twigs, cut flowers or house plants and hedge trimmings – so you can keep your whole garden looking good all year round.
- Peace of mind knowing your garden waste will be turned into compost and used again.
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