Woodland Creation Initiative

Parks and Countryside have been tasked by the council with planting 5.8 million trees over the next 25 years. As a result, it wants to establish two large areas of trees on Woodhouse Moor. The areas would measure 4,214 and 2,990 square metres respectively.

1. The council has set itself a target of planting 5.8 million trees over 25 years. It now seeks to use well-used areas that are public green spaces, and in the case of Woodhouse Moor, recreational areas, to help it meet this target.
2. According to Parks and Countryside’s own figures, Woodhouse Moor is already the most intensively used park in Leeds. Any large scale planting of trees on the main Moor, as is being proposed, would result in the park becoming even more crowded than it already is.
3. The Moor has avenues which used to be tree-lined and which are now bare. Replacement trees could and should be planted along these avenues. But the current proposals would not do this.
4. Monument Moor is part of Woodhouse Moor. The upper section used to be an outdoor gymnasium. The lower section had ornamental flower beds. Both these areas are currently unused. Trees could be planted on these areas without reducing the amount of recreational parkland on the main Moor.

For years, the Friends of Woodhouse Moor have been asking for the elm trees that used to border the A660 where it passes Monument Moor to be replaced. We’ve also asked for the trees missing from the avenues on the main Moor to be replaced. Councillor Pryor gave us a commitment in 2017 that this would happen, but since then nothing has happened.

If trees are planted on the main Moor in the way being proposed by Parks and Countryside, these areas would cease to be open parkland. They would probably also cease to be maintained by Parks and Countryside.