Deliberately damaging trees in a Norfolk park is not the sort of behaviour you would normally expect from council workers.
But, far from acts of vandalism, the carving of deep cracks in trees at Queen's Hills Community Park is aimed at creating new habitats for wildlife.
South Norfolk Council contractors have been deliberately damaging trees in Queen's Hills Community Park - to help wildlife (Image: South Norfolk Council)
South Norfolk Council has brought in specialist contractors Conservation Arboriculture to carry out the unusual work at the park at Costessey, near Norwich.
The contractors have used chainsaws and wood-working tools to create cracks and shelters in the trees for animals and birds which rely on hollow spaces.
An unusual bird box in Queen's Hills Community Park (Image: South Norfolk Council)
Keith Kiddie, South Norfolk Council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "The 90 acres at Queen’s Hills Community Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife.
To help it thrive we have worked with highly skilled arborists to mimic the natural crevices and nooks that are vital for the survival of animals like bats and birds.
“Mimicking habitats in this way is quite a new approach to supporting wildlife, but there are many benefits, tree hollows for example are better insulated and less likely to be over-run with pests."
Queen's Hills Community Park (Image: Denise Bradley)
The council says many native animals rely on tree hollows for their survival as places to shelter and rear their young.
But large tree hollows can take 100 years or more to form naturally, so the council decided to provide the helping hand.
Keith Kiddie (Image: Newsquest)
Mr Kiddie said: "Years ago, it was a lot easier for animals to find hollows in trees, but because many of these old trees have been felled to make way for development or harvested as timber, it is now a lot more challenging.
"While we are planting new trees all the time, it will take many years before natural hollows form. That is why mimicking these hollows is such a great way to support our native animals."
Queen's Hills Community Park (Image: Denise Bradley)
Council workers have also been intentionally damaging some of the younger trees to create areas of decaying wood in living trees.
That creates habitats for a wide range of wildlife, especially invertebrates, while also supporting rare lichen and fungi.
Queen's Hills Community Park (Image: Denise Bradley)
Mr Kiddie said: "Places like the community park are a haven for our wildlife and it’s important we protect and support all the wonderful species of fauna and flora, so they can be enjoyed by future generations."
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