Of the 30 new native trees planted in Riverside Park by the Friends of Riverside Park (FoRP) volunteers in March, only nine remain.
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As reported, the trees were supplied through a Woodland Trust scheme following an application made by the park friends group in association with other local organisations.
Chair of FoRP Paul Jenks said it doesn’t appear the trees had simply been pulled up, as the guards placed around them had also disappeared. He suggested they may have been stolen.
"If people in Bitterne Park wanted more trees in their gardens then there is a special scheme run by the Woodland Trust that we could have applied to do just that," he said.
He added that while the situation is frustrating, at least - for the time being - there are still nine more trees in the park than before.
Volunteers planting trees in the park in March. Photo: FORP