Tree Dulwich Park

[pebs]

Near the loos. Did this really need to happen?

[alice]

No one on here is likely to know are they? better approach Southwark Council for a sensible response and then maybe post it here?

[Cancerian]

Why would the OP approach Southwark now the damage has been done? Very shocking!
 

[alice]

Perhaps OP would wish to find out why the tree was considered dangerous?

[maddison]

Maybe the OP should open his/her eyes to understand the tree was cut down for a reason. Everything does not need a post anymore. Complaining about everything will not get you far! 😉🤷‍♀️

[tiddles]

Quite a number of us who visit the park have wondered the same thing. Also, since a lovely tree in Peckham park was almost mistakenly cut down, the confidence in the council is not 100%

[Angelina]

Given the level of care in Dulwich Park, I would not expect this to be careless or unnecessary.

It will grow back.

[TWB Cat Sitter]

I hate to see trees cut down to such an unfinished state. Unless the tree is home to wildlife, an effort should be made to remove & replace. Otherwise, it's just so useless & unsightly.

[Sue]

11 hours ago, pebs said:

Near the loos. Did this really need to happen?

This presumably hasn't been done by vandals. It's hardly a Sycamore Gap situation.

So if it's been done by professionals, unless it was a mistake (unlikely) there must have been a good reason, as it would have cost money.

It would perhaps have been a good idea to put a notice on the tree explaining why such drastic work was done, but usually (I think) it would be either because of disease (often not noticeable on the surface) or that the roots or branches  were endangering nearby structures.

As already said, nobody on here is likely to know. The tree department in Southwark Council are helpful in my (admittedly limited) experience.

Please post on here when you have found out, as I agree what's left of the tree looks pretty odd. Depending on why the work was done, possibly they intend to remove the rest as well?

[ianr]

Now if there a council web page, for the tree officer to post occasional news and explanation about work being done, ...  

[jimmah]

It looks like the branches overhung the entry way to the toilets. There's a lot of paranoia about at the moment about branch drop after a couple of sad accidents which have happened recently where beloved trees were propped up but still dropped branches then everyone jumps up and asks why nothing was done before. You might remember when the massive oak fell over in Peckham Rye by the skating park, thankfully no one was hurt.  I've noticed notices in almost every public space warning about branch drop and some trees have had barriers put underneath them etc. These things seem to come into vogue and then pass again. 

I expect local authorities in their regular meetings have all been discussing their risk exposure and issues of corporate responsibility etc....and someone will have been assigned the task (and responsibility) of making everything all right. Perhaps this tree fell victim to that. I doubt there is malice and something they feel is safer/appropriate etc will take its place in due course. 

I don't doubt cutting it back is an over reaction but at the same time we all bellow at them when things go wrong so there is a difficult path to navigate. It was a chestnut by the look of it, so not particularly rare I have plenty of saplings growing through my beds if they wish to replace like for like. 

 

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

17 hours ago, pebs said:

Did this really need to happen?

No offence, but why not start from the assumption that the trees team in Southwark Council know what they're doing because it's their job and aren't a bunch of ecogenocidal maniacs looking for excuses to cut back trees?

I'm not an expert but if they're not coming back to cut down the rest, then it seems like pollarding. It always looks ugly at first.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollarding

[Dulwichway]

The OP is simply asking a question? and as a few people on this forum seem to know about every subject posted 🙄 maybe that was the reason for asking?😉

It's been such a dry summer so far, maybe "some trees" are becoming less stable due to lack of rainfall and needed some safety pollarding work?  (another question🙂)

 

Edited August 12, 2025 by Dulwichway

[malumbu]

It was the way it was worded, as most would read the OP as "this doesn't really need to happen". And so many threads and posts on EDF are critical of Southwark.  Make it an open question and most would not see agendas, real or imagined.

[Dulwichway]

3 minutes ago, malumbu said:

It was the way it was worded, as most would read the OP as "this doesn't really need to happen". 

It is a question, easy to understand, and you have quoted the OP words wrongly. How strange.

[beansprout]

Why don’t you ask park people? Or do they not exist any more - use tobe in FR Building— left hand side as you enter, past toilets 

[Glemham]

The Dulwich Park Friends might know the answer:

dulwichparkfriends.org.uk

[Sue]

2 hours ago, Dulwichway said:

It is a question, easy to understand, and you have quoted the OP words wrongly. How strange.

Malumbu didn't quote the OP's words.

He was talking about how most people would interpret the OP's words.

I agree with Malumbu. I took it as an implicit criticism. Rather than asking, for example, "Does anybody know why this was done?" the OP said "Did this really need to happen?"

There's a clear difference in meaning. To me, anyway!

[Spartacus]

Maybe this is why ?