News-Events
Events
Be mindful that due to covid restrictions, these events may or may not take place. For 2021 the scheduling of many annual events are still to be determined.
News
While additional details my follow, this is the latest word we have from city and county counsellors.
2021 Midsummer Fair was cancelled - large gathering still occurred.
Some improvements were made over the 2020 event, e.g., toilets and trash bins installed, many problems remain e.g., large-scale littering, broken bottles, and scattered instances of confrontation by the visitors. The failure to close the bridge caused crowding onto Pretoria Rd. and Aylestone Rd.
Imported trees and their role in the UK and on the Commmon
Over the millennia invading nations and returning colonialists brought in many non-native trees that are now common in the UK. The Romans imported the sweet chestnut tree. In the 16th century, the horse chestnut tree, found on the Common’s Victoria Ave border, arrived from Turkey. The majestic plane trees on Jesus Green also have their origin outside the UK.
Today, our city arborists are carefully diversifying the city’s tree stock to safeguard against the increased risk of a devastating loss of one or more tree species due to pests, diseases or change in climate. To aid in diversification, a city arboricultural officer will, on occasion, carefully select established but non-native trees that are:
- more drought tolerant than many local varieties.
- superior carbon eaters (Cambridge has a low percentage of high carbon-eating conifer trees compared to other cities.)
- better adapted to absorbing urban heat sources.
- resistant to new pathogens.
- more pollution tolerant e.g., the plane trees of Jesus Green.
With the advantages of diversification in mind, city arborists are considering planting one to three dawn redwoods on the Common. In the UK, these grow to about 30m after approximately 70 years. Dawn redwoods are not invasive, and do not pose a threat to native species. These grand trees are beautiful, are an excellent sink for carbon, and help increase the tree canopy to combat climate change. For a preview, stands of these redwoods are on display at the Botanical gardens, Cherry Hinton Hall Park and throughout the UK.
Kenny McGregor, Arboricultural Officer, Cambridge City Council