Biodiversity and Planting in Blackwell Parish
Blackwell Parish Council- Biodiversity and Climate Change Acknowledgement Statement
It is essential that the council helps to proactively facilitate the protection of our local environment, heritage and natural beauty. This needs to be delivered in a way that promotes sustainability and healthy living within the parish.
There are a number of ways that this can be achieved:
- Promote sustainable and energy efficient practices throughout the council
- Embed the principle of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink’ throughout the council
- Consider ways to protect and enhance our natural environment, stimulate biodiversity and nurture our wildlife and pollinators
- Promote behavioural change
- Working with partners, residents, community groups, schools and other councils
- Exploring new opportunities and technologies to reduce our carbon footprint
- For every decision, consider the impact on the environment
Please read further about our actions so far and the improvements we would like to make by reading the full BPC Biodiversity and Climate Change Acknowledgement Statement here
Biodiversity At Blackwell Parish Council
At Blackwell Parish Council, we are trying hard to improve our biodiversity as can be seen in our statement above.
Blackwell Parish Council gave a grant to H.E.L.P group plant an orchard in Hilcote in honour of the Coronation of HRH King Charles III. Individual Councillors are involved with Doe Hill Park and Royal Oak Meadow.
As part of this, Councillors have set up a Biodiversity Working Party which will meet to visit sites and discuss ways in which we can continue to improve.
This year it was decided that rather than pull up the thriving trees put in the planters last winter, we would keep the trees and spruce up the planting around them instead. This has reduced wastage yet still looks impressive. The Parish Council have replanted the large planters containing the trees as well as planters around the war memorials. Thanks to our Parish Ranger Martin, Cllr Ian Newham and our admin assistant Becky for undertaking this task.
Hanging baskets
Working to find the best solutions for the parish hanging baskets
01
Reducing Costs
We have 50 hanging baskets spread across the Parish (this number increased from 36 last year). Placement of the hanging baskets has stuck to main roads to ensure that as many Parishioners can enjoy them as possible.
These decisions are made by the full council meeting (these happen every month), usually from recommendations made by the Floral and Parks Committee.
02
Lamppost choices
Unfortunately we can't use concrete lampposts to attach hanging baskets to, so we can only use metal lampposts that have been tested.
We have to apply for a license to Derbyshire County Council every year to hang them, and they refuse to let us put them on concrete lampposts.
We choose from the ones we can use, picking lampposts on the main roads and trying to share them fairly between each location where the type of lampposts allow.
03
Ensuring safety
There are some lampposts in key locations such as the roundabout by the George and Dragon in Newton that we cannot use due to the danger posed to Premier 1 fitting and maintaining them. Steep bends and roads with too many parked cars blocking access are other things to consider.
04
Lamppost testing
Lampposts have to be tested bi-annually. We test half of them one year, the other half the next year and alternate in this way.
The tests check that the structure of the lampposts is safe for all who use the roads. These tests are paid for and organised by Blackwell Parish Council.
Premier 1
We use a company called Premier 1 to install and maintain the lamppost hanging baskets, village sign planters and six planters near the defibrillators (any planter without a tree in, is planted and maintained by Premier 1). We used them last year and continue to use them as we are impressed by their displays and value for money.