Jesmond Dene is a hot spot for a range of British wildlife and all work undertaken in any of our parks is done with consideration to the impact on the wildlife in the park.
We are proud that the ivy in our parks provides a home to many Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) priority species and those most threatened in the UK including the song thrush. The decision to cut back ivy is not taken lightly.
Ivy is only removed when absolutely necessary to allow us to conduct health and safety inspections or when it has overtaken the crown of the tree and has a detrimental effect on the health of the tree and potentially increase the risk to the public.
This is only done in well used areas and large numbers of trees with ivy covered stems will always be retained in the Dene. Approximately 20 trees in Jesmond Dene have had ivy severed and an additional 25 trees in Heaton and Armstrong Park. The work is conducted by Urban Green Newcastle rangers and volunteers.
The ivy severing works are completed for the time being. There are an approximately 10 other trees that would benefit from the works being undertaken, but this work is not scheduled. The work was done over the winter so as not to affect nesting birds. The ivy has not been killed off and will be allowed to regrow up the stems of the tree.