'Gators' Being Fitted to Saplings Across Wandsworth
Watering bags aim to increase chance of survival for 750 recently planted trees
A 'gator' fitted to one of the 750 trees being planted this winter
High capacity watering bags called ‘gator’ bags are to be fitted to 750 trees being planted this winter in Wandsworth borough’s streets, parks and estates.
The aim is to ensure they thrive and survive by using this piece of equipment which helps them get have plenty of water take root and establish themselves.
Each gator holds 68 litres of water and can be easily and regularly refilled. The council says that using them promotes deep root growth and ensures that all the water is consumed by the tree with no wastage or run-off when compared to traditional watering methods.
The gators are designed to last for at least five years which means they can be reused on newly planted trees in future planting seasons and are fully recyclable when they need replacing.
Wandsworth borough currently has around 60,000 trees and each winter between 700 and 1,000 new ones are normally planted at an approximate annual cost of around £150,000.
Environment spokesman Cllr Steffi Sutters said, “Looking after our existing trees and planting new ones is a priority for the council, especially for the environmental benefits they provide and their importance in tackling climate change.
“The last two years have seen lengthy dry spells with very little rainfall for weeks on end so it’s important we make sure these young trees get all the water they need.
“These gators are the most efficient and effective way of ensuring this. Their use means no water wastage and helps keep their roots wet and well-nourished. They will prove invaluable if we get yet another dry spell later this year.”
The gators can store 68 litres of water
Residents who want to help care for trees in their neighbourhood can join the Wandsworth Tree Warden Network – which is comprised of local residents who perform an important public service by keeping a close eye on the condition of their local street trees.
If a tree is showing signs of illness or disease they can give the council’s team of arboricultural experts early warning so that action can be taken quickly to help it recover.
And in warm weather spells they can be relied on to regularly give their street trees a good watering.
People can find out more about the Wandsworth Tree Wardens - and how to join their network of volunteers by visiting this link.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We’ve always done that and won’t be changing, in fact we’d like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we’d be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you’d like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |
January 20, 2021