VIDEO: Notts protesters try to stop council tree cull

Protesters gathered to stop a council move to cull trees at a Kimberley park today
Nottinghamshire Police said they were called to the park to 'oversee' the operation.Nottinghamshire Police said they were called to the park to 'oversee' the operation.
Nottinghamshire Police said they were called to the park to 'oversee' the operation.

Police officers were called to Hall Om Wong park, Eastwood Road on February 20 after the residents climbed fences to stand between workmen and dozens of trees marked for felling.

Officers mediated between the protesters and council officers and a 'compromise' was said to be reached over the number of trees cut down while further studies would be made on individual trees.

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Kimberley Town Councillor Kat Boettge. Green Party, joined campaigners at the site, and claimed the council had gone ahead with felling despite numerous concerns and calls to wait until ecology studies were completed.

Protesters Susan McEntree, town councillor Kat Boettge and Darren Warner.Protesters Susan McEntree, town councillor Kat Boettge and Darren Warner.
Protesters Susan McEntree, town councillor Kat Boettge and Darren Warner.

She said: "Broxtowe have ignored my emails and petitions and now they've come today to do this. They've started working on these trees but this is a nature reserve."

Meanwhile some residents whose houses back onto the park were glad to see some of the trees removed.

Retiree David Inglis said: "They haven't been cut back for the past 20 odd years. The only trees that were here in 1985 is that patch at the bottom, and there's no plans to take them down at all. They're going to thin them out and make it a better park, so I'll be glad to see them come down.

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The council's head of Environment Paul Summers 'negotiated' with the protesters to reduce the number of trees being cut for the time being.

David Inglis, who lives behind the park,w as glad to see some of the trees cut down as they had been left to overgrow for decades, he said.David Inglis, who lives behind the park,w as glad to see some of the trees cut down as they had been left to overgrow for decades, he said.
David Inglis, who lives behind the park,w as glad to see some of the trees cut down as they had been left to overgrow for decades, he said.

Broxtowe Borough Council maintains that the trees were being culled to ensure the woodland develops evenly.

A spokeswoman for the council said: "The ecological value and viability of woodlands can suffer without management and Hall Om Wong Park is now at the point where management is required to ensure that trees develop evenly, natural regeneration continues and biodiversity can thrive.

"The Council is meeting with local groups to consult on the proposed work, which includes thinning some areas of the woodland by felling some of the trees where they are growing densely. This will be undertaken sensitively, so as not to damage the remaining trees and to avoid any harm to wildlife.

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After cutting back the numbers of trees, with poorer specimens being targets where possible, youth groups will be planting wildflowers and placing bird and bat boxes as part of a community-involvement project."

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