Pangbourne have modernised their tree management database by using Parish Online.

With 600+ trees plotted on a map so far with survey records embedded within each, they have an invaluable digital record that allows them to make regular amendments as well as plan out future tree planting initiatives. Having this database held digitally in Parish Online gives the council team peace of mind knowing they’re on top of their maintenance and can share information easily. Using Parish Online in this way is an investment that will pay off in council efficiency and accuracy when dealing with public queries, whilst protecting and improving their local natural environment.

Efficient and safe management of trees

The parish of Pangbourne is just 6 miles West of Reading with its Northern border stretching along the bank of the River Thames. Jackie, the assistant Clerk at the council, was keen to transfer their records into an online digital format due to the importance of the information.

“The trees in Pangbourne are a huge asset to our community so we wanted to manage them through Parish Online to ensure that they are regularly checked and to document when work is undertaken.

Ensuring trees are kept in good condition with any issues being remedied in a timely manner is not only cost-effective in the long-run but also reduces the risk of trees causing damage to property or people. This is especially important with trees that line roads and paths.”

Environmental planning & society

“We have recently been given some small trees from the Woodland Trust to plan in our community, so we will be using Parish Online to work out where best to put them. We can visualise where there are gaps and ensure we have a good blend of species in different areas.

Using maps for this planning work is critical to ensuring we make good decisions when increasing the tree count in Pangbourne. We all know the health and well-being benefits of outdoor spaces and we want to ensure residents in our local area have these places to visit and enjoy.”

Applying Parish Online to other environmental projects

“Now that we’ve revolutionised our tree management, we can apply those new-found skills to other environmental schemes. For example, we are in the process of applying for community grant funding to increase hedgerows and trees in and near our play areas so we’re using Parish Online maps as part of that application. It’ll be clear to show how these new schemes will benefit the environment and visitors to the parks.”

Public Engagement

“As well as using the maps for our own management purposes, we also plan to publish the maps onto our own website so we can promote the work we’re doing and make people aware of the green spaces available in their area. This will be really easy using the Public Map facility in Parish Online.”

Summary

It’s great to see the work Jackie and her colleagues are doing using Parish Online and the financial and societal benefits it’s generating for the parish council. It shows that with a little effort and using the right tools it’s possible to achieve some great results. We look forward to seeing the progress the Pangbourne team continue to make using Parish Online.