tree vandalism in the park

[edhistory]

Ask if you can see the invoice.

John K

[ed_pete]

Yeah - I'm with John on this one, there obviously a massive conspiracy taking place with corrupt officials being entertained with escorts, illegal drugs and brown envelopes stuffed with cash. Quick someone, called the Guardian and Channel 4 !

[Penguin68]

Renata

In my experience trees are best examined for problems either in very late summer (when diseased or dying boughs are readily identifiable before the leaves on healthy boughs turn - for removal in autumn/ winter once the leaves have fallen) - or in early spring, when again boughs which have problems can be readily identified (as the leaves otherwise first break) - for immediate removal - in both cases boughs are removed when the trees are not significantly in leaf. Tree surgery in summer should be avoided except in the case of immediate (i.e. storm) damage.

Similarly preventitive (rather than remedial) tree work to reduce canopy or to pollard is best conducted in autumn at leaf fall, or in winter. Apart from anything else, it is much safer to work on trees when there is little leaf canopy as the weight of falling branches during cutting is much reduced.

This would reguire the council (1) to schedule tree examination and work sensitively and appropriately and (2) to make clear to contractors that only immediate safety work on trees in clear danger of imminent collapse should be conducted, say, between May and September - to maintain the amenity of the trees and to protect wild-life.

At the moment, outwith any issues of over-ethusiastic safety work, the major complaints have been about innappropriate timing of work, without regard either to wild-life or to the amentity trees offer to residents (vide the aggressive pollarding last summer in Barry Road, when the trees were still at their most attractive).

[fl0wer]

Top post, Penguin68.

Can I also refer people across to update re: lopping and strimmer activity on woodland understorey & grassland inside Camberwell OLD Cem along Underhill Rd, have done my best to offer information, as *knowledge is power*

[Saffron]

Marmora Man Wrote:

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

> Saffron said:

>

> Basically, they will only do what they can afford

> to do, which is not always what is best for trees

> and the local environment.

>

> Rather like the rest of then really. Having to cut

> our cloth according to our means. Given that

> councils are pending tax payers money they have a

> duty to spend it wisely and efficiently -

> compromise is inevitable.

Yes - But the question remains, as to whether what is being done really is value for money. For example, (Lewisham) council will keep pollarding mature diseased horse chestnusts for years, on the grounds that severe pollarding prolongs the life of the tree (yes, that's actually what I was told). However, would it not be safer, more cost effective, more aesthtically pleasing, and better for the environment to remove the diseased tree and plant another tree (possibly one that wouldn't require pollarding in the future, if the tree is near foundations etc)? Or, we could keep throwing our precious taxpayer monies away on paying someone to pollard our tree to ugly bits during nesting season year after year.

[photosolo]

Mine & my daughter's favourite Cherry Blossom tree in Peckham Rye park is due to be felled this coming Tuesday 2/7/13

Surely this can't be right? The tree was in full bloom this spring looking as beautiful as ever!

What can be done to stop this from happening? Anyone?

[joseph holly]

PM to photosolo

[Renata Hamvas]

David,

we did raise the severe cutting back of trees such as the one in your photo with Council Officers yesterday. I'm hoping that this will not happen anymore in our parks unless for example there are safety or disease issues. I am emailing Council Officers about the cherry, with the photo enclosed.

Renata

[Renata Hamvas]

email sent with photo,

I will post back when I get a response, probably on Monday, I think as it's 6pm

Renata

[Penguin68]

Re the cherry - boughs of these can become brittle with age - in which case the best thing is canopy reduction (to reduce stress/ weight on the boughs) not wholesale removal.

I would be far happier with tree management if we saw saplings being regularly planted out to mature so that very old trees could be removed leaving (quite) mature trees as replacements.

One of the two (I am guessing sycamore) saplings planted out in Camberwell Old Cem has failed to go into leaf (the other, late, did leaf up) so this should probably be replaced now so that it can establish before autumn.

[Scottfield]

Has anyone done an FOI request on the evidence for need and the various contracts entered into by the Council?

[hippiedude]

Any possibility of applying to the council for Tree Preservation Orders for some or all of the remaining trees?

[hpsaucey]

Renata - this is a beautiful tree. Thank you for emailing and finding out more. HOWEVER, is it likely that we'll get an answer in time to potentially reprieve it from Tuesday's cull? Given the results so far it looks unlikely. So what else can we practically do to show our unease and concern about the way some of this is being handled in time to actually do something about it?

Helen

[Anna27]

This is crazy save the cherry tree!

[mynamehere]

What about saving the orchard of fruit trees at Camberwell Green? This is so unique that if any reader went there and understood that the council intends to bulldoze this unique wildlife habitat in the middle of an urban bleak cement landscape... why? to spite "the nose on their face"? ("he cut off his nose to spite his face")

[intexasatthe moment]

Tell us more myname .

[mynamehere]

http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/00,news,13014,5443,00.htm

http://londonist.com/2012/03/reprieve-for-camberwell-orchard-as-council-backs-down-over-library.php

http://www.peoplesrepublicofsouthwark.co.uk/hold-news/news/2211-camberwell-green-orchard-june2012-update

http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/00,news,24968,5224,00.htm

This has been fought over with reprieve granted and then withdrawn. The council has portrayed it as "some trees" or a library. What's needed is this amazing space and a library. Surely this is not beyond the wit of ... council politicians, planners and architects

[Renata Hamvas]

Dear all,

unfortunately, it appears that this magnificent tree is diseased/dying /unsafe and has been surveyed twice to make sure that this is a necessary action. Please see the response I have received from Cabinet member Cllr Barrie Hargrove.

Renata

Hi Renata,

Two Cherry Trees in Peckham Rye Park have been scheduled for removal (orginially) by the end of June. These two were amongst a number of trees across the site that are "Dead, Dying or Diseased" (for rationale, see Tree Management Strategy agreed at Cabinet in January). http://moderngov.southwark.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=3527. Prior to commencing these works our Tree Manager Gary Meadowcroft re-inspected all the trees on the list with the objective of retaining any he could which would not compromise Health & Safety and would not compromise the integrity of any other trees. He managed to identify at least two that could be saved from immediate felling, but unfortunately and clearly the Cherry Tree that you refer to was included amongst those. I don't know if it was the Friends that brought this to your attention, but just so you are aware, Gary has been in dialogue with them prior to carrying out any of this necessary work.

All best wishes

Barrie

[Saffron]

What will be done to replace these trees?

[davidh]

there is a council election coming up and I believe a spot of grassroots muscular independence could make all the difference. we all love peckham rye and it is clearly up to us to make a stand for common sense. independent community action!

[UncleBen]

Hmph. Did you find out the names of the alleged diseases and fungi, RH?

[PeckhamRose]

So I'll dig a little hole and plant all my cherry stones in it. One of them might survive to replace it.

Just kidding.

Interesting thread and well done Renata and thanks for posting the replies so we know and understand why my favourite tree in the park is being demolished.

[davidh]

however, many other questions remain resolutely unanswered.

[photosolo]

Well I wrote to Hariet Harmen & all our councillors on Friday

I just received this email today:

Thank you for your email below. On looking into this I?ve been told that all tree removals in Peckham Rye Park have now been suspended and a public meeting is due to be held later this week where residents will be able to put their views across. Further details about the meeting are available from the tree department at the council on 020 7525 0511. I hope this information is helpful to you.

Best wishes,

Danny Hathaway

Office of Harriet Harman MP

[Alec John Moore]

fl0wer makes an important point that *knowledge is power*. If information was made widely available about the reasons for felling/pollarding trees then that would go some way towards allaying concerns about why these actions are being carried out. Maybe the friends of Peckham Rye park could help with explanatory "tree management notices" written and presented in a way that the lay person could understand them easily.