Did you know that there are over 60,000 trees in Ipswich?
Thanks to the work of Labour-run Ipswich Borough Council, our town’s parks are some of the country’s best, with 6,000 trees being planted in the last two years alone.
As a ‘Tree City of the World’, Ipswich is recognised as a leader in urban and community forestry, and this accolade is a testament to Ipswich Borough Council’s commitment to building a healthy town, now and for the future.
Three of our town’s parks – Bourne, Christchurch and Holywells – have been recognised with prestigious Green Flag Awards which is something we can be very proud of.
Last week was ‘Ipswich Loves Trees Week and Martha the dog and I went to Bonny Crescent, Ravenswood to get our hands – and paws – dirty. 1,000 trees were being planted by the dedicated Parks team supported by a brilliant band of volunteers – Martha ‘helpfully’ did much of the digging!
As well as thousands of new trees being planted, Ipswich Borough Council has a two for one replacement policy for damaged or diseased trees that are unavoidably felled, and there is a range of other important work that is happening to protect Ipswich’s nature and wildlife. Coupled with their investment into play areas for young families, Ipswich Borough Council are ensuring our parks are there to be enjoyed for generations to come.
It is good fun being able to plant some new trees and, as they grow, they will add vibrancy and beauty to our park’s landscapes too. However, trees also play a crucial role in combatting climate change. Our parks and green spaces now absorb nearly ten times more carbon each year than Ipswich Borough Council’s operations generate, and each mature tree absorbs 10kg of CO2 every year.
Of course, the work Ipswich Borough Council is doing to tackle climate change goes far beyond planting new trees and investing in our parks.
New pool covers have reduced heat loss by 18%, footway lighting has been converted to LED lamps, and the Council’s small vehicle fleet is now all-electric (EV charging points have been installed in council car parks too).
Ipswich Borough Council homes also have A-rated boilers as part of a multi-year replacement programme. In fact, hundreds of homes across Ipswich are being retrofitted by insulating external walls, cavity walls, lofts and bays, and the Council has recently installed their 500th set of solar panels.
All this means that our town’s council houses are affordable to run, warm, and environmentally friendly. Not only that, the measures Ipswich Borough Council has implemented has caused CO2 emissions to reduce by 60% since 2007/08.
Encouragingly, there are further commitments to delivering a new ‘carbon neutral’ depot, ensuring better energy performance at Ipswich Museum and installing heat pumps for council buildings.
I know there is even more we can and must do, and my job as Member of Parliament for Ipswich – should I be elected at the General Election – will be ensuring that central Government supplements and supports the work Ipswich Borough Council are doing.
That means making our homes more energy efficient to reduce household bills. Taking advantage of the opportunities on offer, whether that is increasing energy security or creating well-paid, secure jobs. Ending the sewage scandal which the Conservatives have allowed to pollute our waterways.
From energy to nature, people can’t afford the Government to drag their feet any longer, and taking action now is both an environmental and an economic imperative.
Yet, while there is still much more work ahead, we should be positive about the efforts we have made to tackle climate change here in Ipswich.