International relations blossom as Tokyo looks to learn from Babergh and Mid Suffolk

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils hosted a delegation from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government this week – showcasing their pioneering tree canopy survey.

A delegation of three officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government visited the councils’ offices in Ipswich on Monday (27 January).

It follows the councils’ UK Council of the Year award win in spring last year at the prestigious local government iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards.

A win which caught the eye of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s statistics division.

The award recognised several UK firsts, including becoming the first rural UK councils to commission a pioneering full tree canopy data survey.

The survey, carried out by Treeconomics, established the districts’ detailed baseline tree coverage data.

It enabled the councils to:

• map their districts’ tree cover
• identify where more planting was needed
• and improve tree management long term

Keen to understand more and explore how they might be able to use this data approach back in Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan Government officers approached the councils for a meeting.

Ayumi Hoshi, from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s statistics division, said:

“We were keen to visit Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils following their UK Council of the Year win, specifically to understand more about their tree canopy survey and planting strategy.

“Their insight and experience will be invaluable, and we’re excited to be able to implement this best practice back in Tokyo to benefit our actions on using data.”

Cllr Helen Davies, cabinet member for climate change, nature recovery and biodiversity at Babergh District Council, said:

“Having international government officers want to visit and learn from us, as an example of best practice for the way we use data for tree management, is testament to our hard work to tackle biodiversity loss and climate change locally.

“I hope the Japanese delegation will be able to use our knowledge to benefit residents in Tokyo.”

Cllr Tim Weller, cabinet member for environment, culture, and wellbeing at Mid Suffolk District Council, said:

“It is an honour to host local government officers from Japan in Suffolk and share best practice on tree management and planting.

“Although our largely rural landscape is oceans away from the world’s most populated urban conurbation, it was intriguing to know that work we’ve undertaken in Suffolk has value in Tokyo.

“It was pioneering at the time we commissioned it, and it is now clear the learning from our tree canopy survey will benefit beyond our council boundaries.”