Susan Mitchell

Member since 28 June 2021

All input submitted by this participant

There are 3 projects available.

Trending ideas have loaded.

Susan Mitchell5 years ago Unfortunately, although this is meant to be a public consultation on Stirling Council's Tree Policy, in fact the document simply tells us what Stirling Council will and will not do. It does not tell the public which parts are statutory and which are advisory. It does not tell the public what options are available. In short, it isn't much of a consultation at all but more of a fait accompli. It seems as though all of the decisions have been made already. It is also written in such a way that many of Stirling Council's residents would not be able to understand it unless they were involved in the management of trees. So first of all you need to simple, clear version of your tree policy that is easy to access and is one that everyone can read and understand. So you will need a plain/simple English version, an audible version and a braille version.Secondly, you need to provide options for people to choose. We, the public, don't know what is possible because we are not familiar with the legal aspects, the financial aspects or the practical aspects of tree management. Thirdly, you can't just refer people to documents that are elsewhere. Do you really expect people to read and understand all the documents that you mention such as: Hazards from Trees - A General Guide, Forestry Commission, 2000. Common Sense Risk Management of Trees - Guidance on trees and public safety in the UK for owners, managers and advisers, National Tree Safety Group, 2011. Urban Tree Manual - The Right Tree in the Right Place, Forestry Commission, 2018. British Standard 3998, Tree work, 2010. British Standard 5837, Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction, 2012. British Standard 8545, Trees from nursery to independence in the landscape, 2014. Arboricultural Association, Royal Scottish Forestry Society, Institute of Chartered Foresters, Scottish Tree Officer Group, Woodland Trust? If these documents are so important you need to explain them to us.Fourthly, you are meant to be engaging with the public. This means looking at things from our point of view as well as the Council's point of view. Which part of the document is up for debate? How much are you prepared to alter the document to fit our suggestions? Are you wanting to gain support for the document? Are you wanting new, innovative ideas? Is this just a rubber stamp exercise where if no one replies then whatever you suggest will just go forward?Fifthly, you need to provide maps. Most of us don't have a picture in our heads of where all the woodland areas, parks and public amenity areas are in Stirling Council's area and we won't have an idea of their current state.Assuming that your purpose of engaging with the public is to illicit good ideas and gain support, I strongly suggest the following: You need to increase the number of native / wildlife-friendly trees in Stirling and the surrounding areas. I agree that most should be native wildlife-friendly species with the occasional exotic species. There should be no strimming within two metres of a tree trunk or within two metres of the above-ground roots of a tree. This will avoid inadvertent damage to the bark or above-ground roots of the tree, and thus minimising the chances of allowing diseases to infiltrate trees. There should be no Roundup (glyphosate) within three metres of a tree trunk or tree suckers or above-ground roots. This will avoid inadvertent poisoning and killing of trees. When an ill or dead tree has to be taken away by the Council it should be replaced during the autumn season of the same year or the autumn season of the following year, whichever is the soonest. The number of trees should be increased at least by Scotland's target figures in proportion with Stirling Council area's population or land areas (whichever turns out to be the largest number) in the requisite time period. The public should be able to easily access on Stirling Council's website tree-planting targets and the number of trees planted on a three monthly basis so that they can compare the figures with the targets. Appropriate wildflowers should be planted for 1-2 metres around the base of every tree in every public park and every amenity area to help promote Stirling Council's biodiversity duty and Pollinator Strategy in areas not usually associated with wildflowers. At least 20% of trees should be fitted with bat boxes to recompense for the general loss of roosts and hibernating sites. At least 10% of trees should be fitted with bird boxes to recompense for the general loss of nesting sites. The list of native tree species should be published so that the public know what is available for planting. Where there is an unconstrained choice of tree species, the species should be chosen by schoolchildren from nearby schools. Tree maintenance, i.e. branch lopping, should be carried out be appropriately trained tree surgeons and not seasonal workers. Health checks should be carried out on all trees in Stirling Council's public parks, woodlands and amenity areas at least once every two years. Valuable, rare, leaning and/or vulnerable trees should be checked at least once every year. Where trees on Council land adjacent to roads, highways, paths, cycle lanes, Sustrans routes and public rights of way are deemed dangerous, Stirling Council should without delay remove the trees. Where trees on private land adjacent to roads, highways, paths, cycle lanes, Sustrans routes and public rights of way are deemed dangerous, and where the landowner is refusing/failing to deal with the trees, Stirling Council should without delay remove the trees and charge the landowner. The yearly budgets for tree planting, management and replacement should be both available and easily accessible on Stirling Council's website.

Susan Mitchell1 year ago General:I am very supportive of the new cycle lanes. This will enable many more people to use Active Travel and provide safer cycling between local destinations. I also know that in order to prevent /slow down climate change we need to spend more time walking and cycling and less time burning fossil fuels.I personally would want to cycle safely from Dunblane to Bridge of Allan, from Bridge of Allan to Causewayhead and then from Causewayhead to Stirling or to where I could eventually join the cycling route to the Hillfoots. I would be able to use the route for shopping, meeting friends for coffee, exercising at the University Sports Centre and even for a day out cycling.I am also a driver (and pay my road tax). So it isn't that I am against drivers and driving - in fact I very much enjoy driving - but I do want safe and enjoyable cycle routes so that I can spend more time on my bike and less time behind the wheel. A cycling route is only useful if it starts where people are situated and finishes somewhere where they want to go. It is only as good as its weakest point in terms of safety and is only truly effective if it caters for the most inexperienced of its users. Cycling is fun but stopping at junctions is tiresome so good cycle routes tend to be both simple and direct. So I hope that the cycle routes are designed with all of this in mind.A cycling route is useless if it is badly maintained or blocked. Any issues – stones, leaves (Autumn happens every year), potholes, drainage, parked cars, knocked-over cycle-lane defenders, etc – need to be addressed immediately. So can we have a maintenance budget, please. And plenty of good quality, secure cycle parking.Specific:In Dunblane, it isn't enough to start the cycle lane at the Dunblane Centre. The surrounding roads are mostly busy and the Centre’s car parking is only for those using the Dunblane Centre. How are families going to get to the start of the route? A much better starting point would be the High Street even if that means losing a few of my favourite car parking spaces on the B8033. I think that the relatively easy part of the cycle route is from Dunblane to the Keir Roundabout. I believe that there was a provision in the plans of the Judy Murray consortium to have an off-road cycle lane on their land alongside the B8033 but I don't know whether you will now persuade them to go along with it, but it might be something to consider. The only other sensible alternative is to use the carriageway as has been suggested.The difficult bit is along the A9 from the Keir roundabout to Bridge of Allan. This needs to be off-road because of the speed of motorised traffic and so there needs to be landowner agreement or land purchase.Lastly, if you want the cycle lanes and routes to be word class then Stirling Council need to think much bigger than these relatively short routes. How about the following route? Stirling to Bridge of Allan, Bridge of Allan to Dunblane, Dunblane to Doune, Doune to Callander, Calander to Loch Katrine, Loch Katrine to Stronachlachar, Stronachlacher to Aberfoyle, Aberfoyle to Loch Lomond, Loch Lomond to Stirling. Some of this is already in place. It would be a fantastic local and tourist route and would bring much needed money and jobs into Stirling Council’s area.

Susan Mitchell5 years ago There is a climate emergency so every road in Stirling Council's area needs a cycle lane. by 2031. Yet your plan merely says, "The [Alive with Nature] document also designates the Central Scotland Green Network and the National Walking and Cycling Network as national developments" This is completely meaningless. You can designate all you like but you have no plans and no targets. The "Alive with Nature " document may as well be a "dead without Nature" document if you don't do something massive in the next ten years. Now, if it is impractical to manage to put a cycle lane on every road then tell us what proportion of roads will have cycle lanes. Is it going to be 1 in 2, 1 in 5 , or 1 in 10? Stop using meaningless "designations "and tell us how this major move from the motorised vehicle to active travel is really going to be accomplished in the 10 years we have left to make a difference to climate change, how much it is going to cost and where the money is coming from.

Susan Mitchell

All input submitted by this participant

Stirling Council Tree Policy: I wish to make comments

I am strongly supportive of the cycle lanes

There is a climate emergency so every road in Stirlingshire needs a cycle lane