Cutting down of the Cherry Tree Peckham Rye Park

[Hen123]

You can’t help but wonder how often this happens - chainsaws wielding “experts” hacking down the wrong tree in the name of health and safety and saving children’s lives?

[Sue]

54 minutes ago, Hen123 said:

You can’t help but wonder how often this happens - chainsaws wielding “experts” hacking down the wrong tree in the name of health and safety and saving children’s lives?

To be fair, do we know who put the notice on the wrong tree?

The people wielding chainsaws almost certainly won't be the experts  who identify  the problems with the trees? They just go along and hack down what they're told to hack down?

I might be wrong, but whilst actual tree surgery needs expertise, I wouldn't have thought hacking down a whole tree did? Apart from knowing how to use a chainsaw, obviously.

[fishboy]

To clarify a few points-

I didn't just happen to be passing, I saw the workmen setting up equipment worryingly close to the tree from my front window, so put my shoes on and headed over there as quickly as possible just in case. Unfortunately they had already lopped a few branches off in the two minutes it took me to get there.

Although I didn't see them attach a notice, the wording on the notice pictured above has the same terminology that they used with me - fungal brackets - so presumably it was them. I have no idea who removed the sign, or why.

Also worth mentioning that they were third party contractors, carrying out work orders from the council.

I'm a bit confused by the 'mistaken tree' comments, as Councillor Renata Hamvas posted on a Facebook thread that she had raised the issue with the relevant council officers, and that the response she received is that the tree does have a fungal infection. So there seems to be conflicting info there, and I'm concerned that the tree is still in danger.

[alice]

Hopefully the confusion won’t lead to injury. 

[tiddles]

But they were going to cut down a tree that had no notice on it ? Either way thank goodness people intervened. My total lack of confidence in Southwark tree dept is justified it would seem… 

[d walker]

In the park this morning I spoke to one of the workers who's been there years, he told me there is a cherry tree which is diseased which is due for removal,  but it is in the wooded area. So it seems there is confusion over which cherry tree? So I think we do need to keep our eyes on what is happening in the park and question things that don't seem right and contact either FoPRP, the park manager or our councillors to make sure mistakes don't happen.   

[first mate]

Suggest all eyes kept on this tree until Gala event completely over this year. Also monitor for further branch lopping. If they keep hacking off branches, it will get diseased.

It is entirely possible this tree could 'accidently' get cut down because of a mixup. 

In those pictures, if recent, the tree does not look diseased at all.

Not sure location of tree in relation to new proposed increased Gala event footprint? Does it get in the way of proposed track, or something?

[alice]

There is a strong possibility that this tree is currently diseased, currently dangerous and has been earmarked for removal for quite some time. 
Could we be a little more logical and stop with the romanticising?

[malumbu]

I am occasionally involved in a charity that helps manage a wooded area.  I hope that all of you who are posting their concern about the cherry tree also volunteer their time in similar organisations.  I expect that this would be better use of your time. 

[fishboy]

2 hours ago, first mate said:

Not sure location of tree in relation to new proposed increased Gala event footprint? Does it get in the way of proposed track, or something?

It's the tree near the triangle. If the proposal for the enlarged festival site is approved (or should I say when...) it should be in less danger than previously, as the giant green shield wall will just skirt the south side of it, rather than go around it - which was where the lopping happened. It also looks like it will be surrounded by "Heras" fencing, which I think is the sort of stuff used during the recent flood alleviation works. But of course there is a huge scope for "misunderstandings"...

GALA 2025 site plan.pdf

[d walker]

2 hours ago, alice said:

There is a strong possibility that this tree is currently diseased, currently dangerous and has been earmarked for removal for quite some time. 
Could we be a little more logical and stop with the romanticising?

I'm not sure I understand your point? Ie being logical and not romanticising. There seems to be confusion over which tree is diseased and thus for felling. And people,  quite rightly in my opinion,  are concerned that the wrong tree is not cut down! 

 

[Sue]

7 hours ago, first mate said:

Suggest all eyes kept on this tree until Gala event completely over this year. Also monitor for further branch lopping. If they keep hacking off branches, it will get diseased.

It is entirely possible this tree could 'accidently' get cut down because of a mixup. 

In those pictures, if recent, the tree does not look diseased at all.

Not sure location of tree in relation to new proposed increased Gala event footprint? Does it get in the way of proposed track, or something?

It isn't necessarily possible to tell if a tree is diseased just by looking at it.

It depends what the disease is. It could be in the roots, for example, or inside the main part of the tree where it can't be seen.

[d walker]

For those that are interested; this was the response the Chair of FoPRP received from the park officer......

[first mate]

Thanks for the confirmation and good to know this tree is going to be preserved. It is very beautiful.

Thank you also to those of you who intervened on the ground and with the Council and thank goodness for FOPR!

[fishboy]

Hopefully a final post on this thread (for now...)

Alerted by the horrible sound of a chainsaw this morning from near the cherry tree, I scuttled over to the park to make sure there hadn't been another "misunderstanding".

The contractors were removing a 'double' tree from the triangle area nearby. I asked them about the cherry, and they confirmed that they wouldn't be removing it.

We were then joined by a very worried looking man who turned out to be the tree officer for the park. He had apparently been on a walk around with members of FoPRP, had also been alerted by the proximity of the chainsaw, and was also relieved to see it wasn't the cherry being removed.

He also confirmed that they wouldn't be removing the cherry, but that it was diseased in the lower trunk / roots and therefore would fall over at some point. To this end they are investigating methods to provide it with some support, to hopefully prolong it's life. He definitely understood & appreciated the importance of & affection for this particular tree.

Hopefully someone from FoPRP can provide us with updates as & when they occur. I've suggested before that maybe Gala could contribute some cash towards it's protection, especially as they caused some damage to it last year...

Edited February 6 by fishboy
spelling & syntax

[alice]

The affection for that tree seems to be overriding the safety of that tree. it is the tree that children climb. It is also a tree that could fall down. Let’s hope the two things don’t coincide.

[tiddles]

It is not damaged - they were trying to cut down the wrong tree!!!!

 

 

[alice]

Re read FB’s post above. 

[malumbu]

What would George Washington said about all of this?

[hpsaucey]

8 hours ago, alice said:

The affection for that tree seems to be overriding the safety of that tree. it is the tree that children climb. It is also a tree that could fall down. Let’s hope the two things don’t coincide.

It would probably help if the Park Run didn't start and end by it - lots of kids out for/with the run seem to climb it. Hopefully the tree officer can get it properly supported and with a notice not to climb. 

[Sue]

I thought this was interesting re the importance of trees in urban areas, though a bit off topic, sorry.

It's a short reel about two trees in a station car park in Petersfield, absolutely filled with pied wagtails on a cold, dark, wet night.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1BEzpKfYXf/

Edited February 7 by Sue

[Hen123]

I looked at the tree that they did cut down and there was some very minor fungal infection but tree wouldn't have been at risk for many years. Fugal infections are part of the natural life cycle of trees. Cutting trees down unnecessarily or prematurely isn’t a good use of council money or good for bio diversity in general. The risk of injury in parks is incredibly low - even the HSA accept this. These trees are not near buildings or parked cars - the paranoia about them is unwarranted. 

[CPR Dave]

Does cutting them down help prevent other trees getting infected too ?

[teetomthomas]

On 06/02/2025 at 13:34, alice said:

The affection for that tree seems to be overriding the safety of that tree. it is the tree that children climb. It is also a tree that could fall down. Let’s hope the two things don’t coincide.

What have you got against this tree?! 

[NewWave]

On 06/02/2025 at 13:34, alice said:

The affection for that tree seems to be overriding the safety of that tree. it is the tree that children climb. It is also a tree that could fall down. Let’s hope the two things don’t coincide.

perhaps suggest the council put a fence around the tree then?

And a sign saying do not climb'?

Its a beautiful tree not a climbing frame I'm sure more people get pleasure just seeing it than the amount of children who climb it.

there are great climbing frames outside for children specifically designed for the purpose like the one in the playground by Goose green.

I'm not anti kids, I just think trees are living things and should'nt be looked upon as playgrounds.

Edited February 11 by NewWave
edited