Agenda item

Superintendent of Hampstead Heath to be heard on Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park matters.

The Superintendent provided an update on current issues affecting Highgate Wood, primarily the forthcoming installation of photovoltaic cells on the roof of the Machine Shed that will enable staff to meet their electricity needs.

The Queen’s Park Manager then provided an update on recent issues in Queen’s Park, noting:

·         The Park had seen 1.2 million visits between May 2012 and April 2013.

·         The Hampstead Heath Tree Team were undertaking weekly inspections and had identified a number of Plane trees with Massaria, but that no Ash Dieback had been detected. The potential for volunteers to assist with inspections was being explored.

·         The annual Queen’s Park Day was forthcoming on 15 September and would attract an estimated 15,000 visitors.

·         There would be a series of Open Cinema events in the Park during August and September, run by a local independent cinema. Details were advertised on the City of London website.

The Committee then addressed some remarks to the Superintendent and Queen’s Park Manager:

·         In response to a comment from the Deputy Chairman, the Superintendent noted that he has asked the Conservation and Trees Manager to prepare a report on the impact of pest inspections on the time and resources of the Tree Team.

·         In response to a question from a Member the Superintendent confirmed that branch failure was a risk in areas of North London Open Spaces heavily used by the public.