Southwark - why are you pruning trees when they are coming into blossom?

[The Nappy Lady]

Has this been raised before? I expect so....sigh...a big round of applause (not) to Southwark Council for their complete disregard for timing, in pruning back all the trees right NOW just as they are coming into blossom...even the tree surgeon I spoke to today agreed, and said it is (I quote) "Absolutely the wrong time to be doing it, and very bad for the trees, but it is when Southwark insist we do it"........why oh why can this not be done in the Autumn?

Am I going to have to start chaining myself to trees and becoming The Tree Lady next?

If anyone else agrees, please join me in emailing [email protected] to raise your complaint......

[Horsebox]

So this is what's meant by local councils making cuts.

[ironjawcannon]

I have been waiting for this blossom all winter!!

I bet it is because the funding for pruning trees will come out of this years budget if they do it now. But how silly, when it is absolutely the wrong time!!

[Sue]

So not only will we miss the blossom, if they are fruit trees we will get no crab apples etc in the Autumn either.

Agree it is probably a budget thing.

James Barber??

ETA: I've emailed the council, thanks for the email address Nappy Lady

[Penguin68]

Amongst other things, the blossom offers substantial food sources for bumble bees, now out and about and hungry - removing the blossom deprives them - and we know the problems we are facing as bee populations plummet.

[pinkhalf]

Philistines. It's one of the loveliest things about London. Plus also great for the bees.

Email sent.

[The Minkey]

If only those responsible for making decisions about trees knew something about them.

[pebbles]

Email sent

[PeckhamRose]

Email sent. They use petrol driven engines when moving leaves from a to b in the Autumn, they are cutting a few hundred trees down in Burgess Park and claim it's necessary and part of the new design of the park, and they waste money and resources by sending me Southwark Life three times despite my having told them, and all sorts of other examples I could give and I am sure we could all give. Ho hum. Thanks for raising this.

[PeckhamRose]

My emails to them are now rejected. I have checked the address twice (and I use this email address often.)

Anyone else? Or just me!?

[Penguin68]

If I was a cynic I would think that the officer responsible for this bizarre and inappropriate decision, like me, suffers from 'hay-fever' triggered by tree pollens. I take the anti-histamines and learn to live with the beauty and the utility of flowering and blossoming trees. Clearly he/ she takes the Colonel Gaddafi option when faced with recalcitrant nature.

[Gussy]

They've just finished 'pruning' our road this morning. Awful, the poor old trees have been totally savaged. Just a few stumpy branches left. What a shame.

[The Nappy Lady]

Got home to discover that my amazing neighbours had got together & stopped the pruning....sadly the tree outside our house has been savaged, but at least the rest of the road has been saved.

Couldn't speak to anyone at Southwark apart from a poor receptionist, so they ended up speaking to the boss of the tree surgeons by Phone & he called them off given the number of people in the road who were up in arms....power to the people!

Wish I'd been there to see it.

We are now on a mission to get agreement on Autumn pruning in future, if anyone can help with council contacts please let me know.

[peterstorm1985]

A minor point but different trees need pruning at different times so it may be worth specifying which trees you want pruning in Autumn, otherwise the council may change it's entire pruning regime. Also, do you mean 'late' Autumn? If they do it too early the trees may still be in the growing season and put on new growth that will be more susceptible to frost damage.

[The Nappy Lady]

Yes, good point - let those with the knowledge (I.e. The contractors) prune at the recommended times (I did mean late Autumn for our trees yes).

[Penguin68]

It is normally easier, and safer, to prune trees when not in leaf, the weight (and consequent danger) of boughs is much reduced. This does lead to autumn (in fact early winter) pruning of trees that do put on flowering growth in the summer - so this is lost - although trees should anyway be pruned, not savaged, unless they form part of a managed wood for pollarding. Pruning trees should be about removing damaged and dangerous elements, elements growing where they are not wanted (into buildings) and sometimes a general thinning to reduce overall weight (a protection against storm damage). The 'short back and sides' favoured by councils isn't pruning, it's vandalism.

Properly pruned trees should still (even when spring flowering growth which grows in summer is 'lost') have sufficient blossoming growth to offer a decent show (and feed the bees). As many blossom trees only leaf-up fully after blossoming they can be safely pruned post-blossoming and still put on growth for next spring's show; again, where fruits and nuts follow, leaving sufficient on the tree for human or animal harvest.

It is typical of many councils that they employ experts (tree surgeons) but don't think to listen to, or take, their advice.

[ianr]

> We are now on a mission to get agreement on Autumn pruning in future, if anyone can help with council contacts please let me know.

[Thinks ...] What's the council's budget year? Any possibility that they're doing it now because they have the money to spend now, but won't do so in six months' time?

With my empiricist's hat on I'll be interested to know what, if any, damage has been caused. When will that be assessable?

[The Nappy Lady]

Hmmm - let me take some photos .....

[Gussy]

Was going to do the same Molly. I watched from my window as 2 guys cut indiscriminately. No taking out ageing branches or thinning on the side near power lines or buildings, just the whole lot lopped off and fed into the machine below by 3 blokes. It looks like the trees have been in a fire. Wish I'd had the balls to go out and stop them.

[Tarot]

Well I think we should vote for the Green Party next election.

" Oh to be in England, now that Aprils there",

Apparently not with Southwark ,They have robbed us of our beautiful springtime blossoms,the bees of food, and killed lots of young fledgelings in their nest.

What kind of ignorant morons are they employing now.

They probably have,nt reached their recycling target for green waste,and are shredding healthy trees to catch up.

Its a shame on them.

[siousxiesue]

I have emailed a contact in the council, can people please name the roads this is happening so I can pass on to him?

[James Barber]

I was horrified to hear this. In East Dulwich the East Dulwich councillors have allocated a lot of our annual Cleaner, Greener, Safer capital funds to planting more trees on East Dulwich streets - we certainly wouldn't expect street trees to be 'savaged' and certainly not at the wrong time of the year.

I've contacted the head of parks that includes the tree management department.

When I received her response I'll post it here.

[GinaG3]

Happened on Dulwich Common last year. Beautiful sunny day, big tree shading my window nicely. Then along came the councils sub contractors (is it Gristwood and Toms?) and literally took every branch off the tree and its a big one. For the last year I've been stuck looking at this poor, droopy, sad tree. Its not growing much now, has the tiniest blossom, and looks absolutely hideous and bare. It was such a lovely tree before. And I miss my shade too!! Definitely less birds about without the tree.

I mean pruning and keeping tidy, yeah. But cutting a tree right back, why? Are the surgeons (if thats what they want to call themselves) having too much fun swinging in the trees from a rope and waving round the chain saw?

[James Barber]

I've had a very quick response that the works were a mistake and were halted as soon as it was realised. Assured this wont be repeated and await a report about how much work was done and why.

The manager concerned I have confidence will get the bottom of it and will ensure the same mistake is not repeated.

[Gussy]

Hmm, they were back today on my road to 'finish off' the tree they seemed to miss yesterday.