Japanese blossoms to provide an added splash of colour in Thurso town centre
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Thurso in Colour is to receive £250 from the Cairn Housing Association community fund which will go towards a tree planting project in the town's Sir John's Square.
Recently the association, reached out to local activist Alexander Glasgow, who is well known for his petal-powered work in Thurso, as they are keen to help out with community projects.
The funding follows the proposed transfer of Pentland Housing Association's 500 homes in Caithness to Cairn Housing.
Mr Glasgow explained that the new Thurso In Colour group was now fully constituted with a committee and dedicated bank account. He pointed out this had happened just a few days too late to receive a proportion of funds from a local charity which was being dissolved.
The green-fingered volunteer is currently discussing with local councillors about possible match funding to go with the £250 to allow him the necessary trees for the project.
"I hope for bare-root amenity trees such as Japanese blossoms or acers or Amelanchier or rowan to replace those damaged or dead in Sir John's Square," he said.
"As well as visually appealing, they have a year-round range of colours. An example of how a Japanese blossom can thrive here is just a few dozen yards away at St Peter and the Holy Rood church."
Pointing out that the project would focus on repopulating trees in the inner perimeter of the square, he stated that the sycamores on the outer edge were to be removed in stages starting in 2012. However, this did not happen and replacements planted in the middle were crowded out or unsuitable.
Commenting on the unsuitability of sycamores Mr Glasgow said: "They are load-bearing for large birds which foul the pavement, and producing massive leaf drops as well as disrupting underground cables with their root systems.
"I have been making intercessions with the community council, councillors and BEAR Scotland for some time regarding this. The tree officer has been unable to attend because of coronavirus restrictions but we now are in recovery."
One tree was removed recently because it had completely died and he hopes the others, along with rotting trunks, will follow.
He has uploaded a video to YouTube to show the situation in Sir John's Square – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMRQZHQzvAk&t=5s
Mr Glasgow is currently awaiting the winter catalogue from W & D Ross Hardware who he said always provide him with a good deal.
Cairn Housing Association is keen for the group to apply for a grant from the community fund next year. They have also assisted play areas in the Highlands which is another of Mr Glasgow's interests.
In addition the volunteer is involved in the Queen's Green Cannopy – an initiative inviting people across the UK to plant a tree for the Queen's platinum jubilee next year. He already has three dozen mixed varieties of saplings arriving home in the next few days and has ordered a lot more for the area round the town's boating pond.
He can be contacted by email at alexanderglasgow.foi@gmail.com or through his Caithness Manifesto page on Facebook.
Online donations can be made on the Thurso in Colour GoFundMe page.
