Jump to content

Recommended Posts

It's not just a question of the trees themselves. Pollarding outside late winter/early spring has knock-on effects on the birds and insects that make new spring growth their homes. While the trees do need to be pruned for many valid reasons, pollarding out of season is a sad practice. Councils pollard to avoid insurance claims or the percieved threat of claims, and may pollard out of season because they cannot afford to employ enough contractors to prune in the correct season. Also, I've recently read that severe pollarding may cause dead heartwood. Pollarding decreases root growth because it decreases vitality.


Councils may be basing their decisions on the experience of arborists who think their decisions are the only right ones because they've been in the business man-and-boy 40 years, blah, blah blah. But when they're basing their decisions on out-dated, incomplete, non-emperical evidence, how can these choices be accurately evaluated? I was recently enquiring about sources of data on the outcomes of pruning and root growth, and the best the arborist thought to offer was an outdated book on subsidence. Honestly, I'd expect better referencing from a first year uni student.


A large tree growing near a property is not necessarily going to cause problems, but I have the feeling that councils are scared sh1tless of insurance agents. Pathetic. I'd rather just be told outright that councils can't afford to do a correct job, than to have them try to fob me off with a bunch of bollocks.

Lewisham has very little information about their own tree pruning policies online; however, I have spoken with Lewisham council this spring. If you're in Lewisham, contact their planning dept. You're more likely to get a response from them than from any of the councillors IMHE. Southwark is slightly better in that is has some documents online about it tree policies. But you don't have to take my word for it. If you'd like more information, I urge you to contact your local council personally.
  • 2 months later...
In the height of summer now. How do those concerned parties feel about the response to concerns earlier in the year that were raise through local councillors and the contractor,Gristwood & Toms, who undertook the work. Was there ever a reply from the Arboricultural Association by the person who said they would write to them?

I am the OP. I don't think we ever heard from any professionals or decision-makers about the rationale for the pollarding. The trees are in leaf now, but the leaves are growing all the way down the trunks and have required additional pruning in order to keep the pavements clear. They certainly don't look how they have looked in the past, but I have no idea whether they will look better next year, or whether objective success criteria for the pollarding have been reached, and indeed what those criteria might be.


It just feels so frustrating to have so little information and therefore knowledge as to whether this whole exercise has been a good thing for the health and longevity of the trees (in which case I would be very happy), or whether they have now been damaged (in which case I would be very angry).

kiera Wrote:

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

> Southwark's tree manager is giving a talk to the

> Peckham

> Society at the Goose Green Centre on 20th October

> at 3pm.

> The talk is entitled."The trees of Southwark" and

> you do not have to be a member of the Peckham

> Society to attend.


Date noted. Thank you for that Kiera.

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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

> treehugger I doubt the trees have been damaged but

> the question I want answered is why were they

> pollarded in the summer when they were in full

> leaf ?


Tree huggers, the trees will be ok.


This was the purpose behind my and a number of other posters questions on this thread, which just haven't been answered. Ask any of the tree surgeons working on the trees, and I have, and they all say this is bad practice, arboriculturally.

  • 2 weeks later...

While we're on the topic here's the latest from George Monbiot, encouraging us all to remind Councils to choose what they plant from a list of native species, which are much more wildlife-friendly.


http://www.theguardian.com/environment/georgemonbiot/2013/aug/15/trees-native-exotic-wildlife-councils-insects


Do keep lobbying the councillors for your wards, folks, this is an issue that affects city dwellers everywhere, and particularly influences the beauty of this neighbourhood, set out with its tree-lined avenues and generous parks.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • If you're a fundraising intermediary, reporting promptly and accurately on how you've raised and spent funds seems quite important.
    • Does anyone know when the next SNT meeting is? I am fed up with my son being mugged on East Dulwich Grove! 
    • The issue must be everywhere at the moment. I was visiting a friend last week in Bermondsey, think we were walking  down Linton Rd & we dodged 7 dog poos. It was disgusting. 
    • Thanks for your message — I actually took the time to look into what CityHive does before posting my original comment, and I’d encourage anyone with questions to do the same. Yes, the Companies House filings are overdue — but from what I’ve gathered, this seems likely to be an accountant or admin issue, not some sign of ill intent. A lot of small, community-based organisations face challenges keeping up with formalities, especially when they’re focused on immediate needs like food distribution. Let’s not forget CityHive is a not-for-profit, volunteer-powered CIC — not a corporate machine. As for the directors, people stepping down or being replaced is often about capacity or commitment — which is completely normal in the voluntary and community sector. New directors are sometimes appointed when others can no longer give the time. It doesn’t automatically mean bad governance — it just means people’s circumstances change. CityHive’s actual work speaks volumes. They buy most of the food they distribute — fresh produce, essential groceries, and shelf-stable items — and then deliver it to food banks, soup kitchens, and community projects across London. The food doesn’t stay with CityHive — it goes out to local food hubs, and from there, directly to people who need it most. And while yes, there may be a few paid staff handling logistics or admin, there’s a huge volunteer effort behind the scenes that often goes unseen. Regular people giving their time to drive vans, sort donations, load pallets, pack food parcels — that’s what keeps things running. And when people don’t volunteer? Those same tasks still need to be done — which means they have to be paid for. Otherwise, the whole thing grinds to a halt. As the need grows, organisations like CityHive will inevitably need more support — both in people and funding. But the bigger issue here isn’t one small CIC trying to make ends meet. The real issue is the society we live in — and a government that isn’t playing its part in eradicating poverty. If it were, organisations like CityHive, The Felix Project, City Harvest, FareShare, and the Trussell Trust wouldn’t need to exist, let alone be thriving. They thrive because the need is growing. That’s not a reflection on them — it’s a reflection on a broken system that allows people to go hungry in one of the richest cities in the world. If you're in doubt about what they’re doing, go check their Instagram: @cityhivemedia. You’ll see the real organisations and people receiving food, sharing thanks, and showing how far the impact reaches. Even Southwark Foodbank has received food from CityHive — that alone should speak volumes. So again — how does any of this harm you personally? Why spend time trying to discredit a group trying to support those who are falling through the cracks? We need more people lifting others up — not adding weight to those already carrying the load.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...