RE: Mature trees cut down around East Dulwich

[85volga]

Happy New Year ED Folk,

Wandering around the area I have just noticed that there appears to have been a spate of mature street trees cut down by the council.

This is alarming, these tree's and all trees are a important part of our area's ecosystem and environment.Is this perhaps a new cost saving "initiative" by southwark council?

what can be done to prevent further environmental vandalism ?

[Sue]

The council wouldn't cut down trees for no reason.

Maybe find out why they did it before accusing them of vandalism?

Mature trees may sometimes have to be cut down because they are diseased and/or unsafe.

Also in some cases they may be affecting nearby houses, eg causing subsidence.

These days councils are more careful about planting small suitable street trees than they were in the past.

[85volga]

I can understand that, however if they are to cut down a tree, at least replace it with a new "suitable" tree.

It is in my eyes vandalism if they just remove a tree and don't replace it with another. Our trees need to be protected along with all the wildlife that live within.

[Curmudgeon]

You want them to plant trees in winter?

[Borky]

We have more tree cover in London now than we have had for a century. there is no shortage of trees.

[Penguin68]

If you are going to cut down trees, then now (when no birds are nesting, even if many will be roosting in trees) is ideal. They are also without leaves (deciduous ones) which makes it easier, safer and cleaner to remove them.

The cost of professional removal of trees is not cheap - if they could have been left in situ that would be a cheaper option for the council, so I suspect there will be good reasons to remove them (disease, old age leading to instability, unacceptable root or canopy encroachments etc.) Of course they should be replaced (by perhaps more appropriate trees for the site, preferably ones which encourage native bird and insect species), but either autumn or spring is a better time (certainly not when the ground is likely to be frozen). As long as none have been removed because of complaints that 4WD buggies can't negotiate passed them, I am easy about this.

[85volga]

My answer to that is common sense should prevail Curmudgeon

[Curmudgeon]

85volga Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> My answer to that is common sense should prevail

> Curmudgeon

Absolutely agree

And common sense would suggest that talk of "environmental vandalism" is irresponsible flamebaiting and replanting trees during the winter months not really appropriate

Wouldn't it?

[ed_pete]

85volga Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Happy New Year ED Folk,

>

> Wandering around the area I have just noticed that

> there appears to have been a spate of mature

> street trees cut down by the council.

>

> This is alarming, these tree's and all trees are a

> important part of our area's ecosystem and

> environment.Is this perhaps a new cost saving

> "initiative" by southwark council?

>

> what can be done to prevent further environmental

> vandalism ?

1 - Read the councils Tree Management Strategy http://www.2.southwark.gov.uk/info/505/trees/2016/tree_management_strategy

2 - Email your concerns to Southwark @ [email protected]

[cordsm]

The tree-planting season is from mid-November into early Spring. Checking some simple facts before telling someone that their email suggesting re-planting of trees in Winter is 'inappropriate' might be an idea!

[Penguin68]

Checking some simple facts before telling someone that their email suggesting re-planting of trees in Winter is 'inappropriate' might be an idea!

Tree planting seasons differ for plants with a potted root ball or bare rooted. In general most horticulturists would avoid planting bare rooted trees at times when the ground is either likely to be frozen or flooded - so planting takes place often in late autumn or early spring - certainly between November and March but not at any time or condition in that time-spread. One expert advises:-

The don?t?s

? Never plant when the soil is waterlogged or frost is on the ground as buried ice stays frozen for months and slows root establishment. If you need to plant when cold weather is forecast, cover the area with cardboard or plastic sheets to keep out the cold.(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/9689949/A-guide-to-planting-bare-root-trees-shrubs-and-perennials.html)

Street planted trees are always under some stress. Planting them in winter conditions will stress them further and be a poor investment.

What I would do in my garden (where I can protect the trees, and where I can ensure that the roots neither dry-out or drown or freeze) is very different from what the council can do with street planted trees. Better would be to plant them as potted plants (already in soil and established) - which can be done outside the November-March window.

[cordsm]

Penguin 68 - my slight irritation was with the over-generalised (and incorrect) statement from a user that trees shouldn't be planted in the Winter. Also I felt sorry for the OP, as I thought some people's responses were on the rude side.

The RHS and Woodland Trust both say that bare-root and rootballed trees should be planted between late Autumn and early Spring. That's good enough for me. Clearly not when the ground is frozen solid or flooded though.I'm not a horticulturalist and cannot comment on the stress levels of urban trees!

[85volga]

I think we are getting away from my original thread, I am concerned as to the amount of freshly cut tree stumps appearing around the area. I am not debating as to when or how to plant replacement trees. When a tree is cut down it is gone forever along with its ecosystem. Yes there are a lot of trees in the area, thus we need to keep the numbers up.

As normal within the Ed forum lots of prickly keyboard warriors in the forum, that would argue the sky isn't blue, just for the sake of it. Well I guess it is a forum :) like it or lump it, a good day to you all

[tarafitness]

My partner and I have noticed this too, I seem to be frequently walking past new fresh tree stumps. It's very disheartening.

[Seabag]

There are proper considerations when trees are taken down, but usually it's with good reason. There's a strong case when a disease is present, as it damages the tree slowly but surely.

In the park near my house I was concerned with the size of the bracket fungus on an Ash tree. The tree was situated right by the gate, it should have been cut down. Instead it blew down, thankfully not hurting or causing much damage. We were lucky, but it might have done worse were it 20+ mt closer up the park. On inspection the tree was soft as cork through much of the trunk and down to the root stock.

There's no room for sentimentality when safety is a priority.

[Sully94]

I want to believe that they will plant new trees there and those mature ones were cut down because of some disease or something like that. We need more trees in our environment - it just good for us and the ecosystem.

[Penguin68]

There is a real problem with a Plane Tree disease (Massaria) which may be being addressed by the council http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/beeh-9sqfb4 - does anyone know what type of tree is being removed? Additionally other sycamores can be effected by anthracnose https://www.rhs.org.uk/Advice/Profile?PID=694. Perhaps any councillor reading this could throw more light on the council's actions here?

[Guest]

you can view Southwark's tree maintenance schedule here. Only goes up to December 2016 though.

http://www.2.southwark.gov.uk/downloads/download/2389/tree_maintenance_schedule_2010-2011

[Penguin68]

A quick skim read of December suggests only two felling locations in Dulwich, the remainder seem to be pollarding, tree stump grinding etc. Which would suggest that if there have actually been 'a spate' of mature trees recently (last month) felled this isn't in the schedule of works. Perhaps the OP might see if it is possible to match recently felled trees with this schedule. Emergency work (to deal with newly identified diseased trees) wouldn't necessarily be in this schedule anyway. Removing diseased trees at this time of year (if that is what is happening) may protect uninfected trees more effectively.

[tarafitness]

These two trees on Worlingham Road were cut down quite recently, as you can see from the pictures I took today. Both were felled in December. Neither were dying, and the stumps have just been left - as well as with another tree in the opposite side, which was also cut down late last year.

There was another tree on this road cut down recently, but it had suffered storm damage and was dead... So I can understand that. The stump was completely removed soon after. It's the felling of seemingly healthy trees that concerns me.

[Tigres Pride]

May I point out that the first stump, on the right hand side of Worlingham Road from the Goose Green end, was of a tree that was bent over the road at about 45 degrees and had been in this dangerous position for quite some time.

I don't know about the other tree.

[tarafitness]

ahh okay, well that makes a lot of sense then :)

[natty01295]

What can you do about it ?

Can southwark council help ?

[Renata Hamvas]

Hi all, mature street trees are cut down for a reason. This may be disease, instability or sometimes tree roots may be growing under a building causing movement and damage. I have investigated a few cases where street trees had been earmarked for removal and in all cases there was a good reason for the removal.

Renata