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!