East Dulwich trees

[teddy]

New to the forum - looking around for somewhere to rent in the general area. One thing I really like about the streets are the variety of trees - great to see trees like Olives being planted in and around shops - Underhill Road for example, not to mention those in Lordship Lane. I understand that there are some fruit trees around as well. I think they add a little something to the area - at least they are better than the usual ordinary street trees as they change with the seasons. Makes walking around more interesting with the kids.

[candj]

Hi Teddy,

Agreed that there are some lovely trees in the area, as well as parks with a whole variety of vegetation to admire. Round where we are there are pear trees, prunus or plum blossoms and crab apple trees. Enjoy and welcome to the EDF!

-C

[alba]

You can buy a map of interesting trees in Dulwich and East Dulwich. I can't remember where I bought it but it was probably either the Dulwich picture gallery shop or the bookshop in Dulwich village. It detailed really old tree, really unusual trees, things like the monkey puzzle tree in Crystal Palace road.

[????]

100

[tommy]

Anyone had any luck getting a tree for their street from Soutwark council lately ? Last time I asked they said they were only replacing ones that had died

[candj]

You have to be persistent with getting the council to replace trees. We had a tree cut down at the end of our street a few years ago and I rang almost monthly to remind them (the excuses were that they weren't doing the planting until the fall, then it was winter, then spring, etc). I finally complained that I kept tripping into the hole left in the ground from the missing tree (kind of true as it wasn't too visible in the dimly lit street (another request from said council). They finally planted it and my husband and I went out weekly to water the poor flimsy thing carrying large buckets of water down the street as it was during the hose-pipe ban. Also, we retied the tree a few times against the stake as it was growing a bit wonky. This tree wasn't in front of a house, but rather on a corner close to a junction so I guess no one really felt responsible for it, but because it was I who pestered Southwark incessantly I felt I needed to help it along.

Sorry for divulging too much detail of my life with the tree, but it's lovely now.... and was worth it. You must be on the council's case with tree planting as they don't really care and it's us who live here!

[Nero]

I agree with the last poster. If you want a tree, pester the council. And if you see a tree in distress or one with overgrown foliage, tell the council. This is the man to contact. He sent me an email after I'd told the council about the triffid-like trees in Whatley Road, a problem he says will be cleared up by the end of the month.

Ernst Erasmus

Arboricultural Officer

for Environment and Housing

Address: 151 Walworth Rd, SE17 1RY

Tel: 0207 525 2000

Fax: 0207 525 2174

Email: ernst.erasmus@southwark.gov.uk

[fractionater]

great - was wondering who to contact to get an overgrown tree chopped down in front of my house!

[macroban]

Careful what you wish for, fractionater.

The tree roots may be stopping your front wall from collapsing.

[Siduhe]

fractionater Wrote:

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

> great - was wondering who to contact to get an

> overgrown tree chopped down in front of my house!

In my experience, Southwark are unlikely to chop a street tree down if it's merely overgrown - they will prune it back however. They are also pretty hot on ensuring that householders don't randomly chop down trees within their own property. Our neighbours wanted to remove one of their trees (which we would also have liked because it blocks out quite a bit of light into our property in summer) but the tree surgeon wouldn't do this because the tree was of sufficient height that it would have required six week notification to Southwark's tree department and his experience was that they would then automatically TPO it because the tree was healthy - just big. He also described Southwark as one council that he wouldn't even think of trying to breach the rules with. Don't know how accurate that is, but that's what he told them.

[KidKruger]

I spoke to southwark council about removing a tree from the pavement in front of my neighbour's house.

The house is 4 feet from their wall and 8-10 feet from their/my house.

It's about 35-40 feet high now with girth at base of about 10-12 inches.

Since it's been planted (on a pavement wher no tree was planted perviously) huge cracks have opened up on the pavement and when you look at the pavement from the road you can see on both sides of the tree the pavement has been pushed-up about 2-3 inches above the kerbstones.

Also my neighbour's wall has started to lean towards their house.

When I called the council they advised my neighbour would need to (at his own cost) have a contractor pull down his wall, dig out his foundations, dig a trench a few feet deep and determine whether any roots had grown under the wall foundations. If they had, then my neighbour may be in a position to make a complaint.

My assumption is that the tree is probably not genetically modified to grow 'clever' roots which know NOT to dare grow under a wall or under a house's foundations. However my neighbour who's not wealthy fears the cost of this investigative work.

It's obvious (based on there being no trees elsewhere near our houses and therefore no other examples of mangled pavement) that the tree has caused this damage but there's a lot of assing about to get a result form the council.

Zinc nails will do the trick tho.

[fractionater]

I've been told Copper nails are good too!

[Harry]

Zinc or copper nails ! Watch the Axmen on Thursday !

[Huguenot]

As someone else mentioned, abrupt killing or removal of the tree can cause catstrophic damage as it'll change the water table under your houses. You may find that you've saved the wall and destroyed your house.

You should also be aware that your insurance won't pay out if you're found guilty of illegal action. ;-)

[KalamityKel]

How did this thread start out say joyous and positive towards these wonderful sources of greenary to the talk a ripping, chopping and murdering?

[chuff]

the zinc and copper nails thing doesn't work anyway.

ringing is the only way, but not something that should be undertaken :))

[Tatty Mum]

A ?20,000 fine can result if you are prosecuted for damaging or destroying a protected tree (quite right too)

www.southwark.gov.uk/YourServices/environment/Trees/TPO.html

[crispy]

Is it very illegal, to plant a tree in a public place?, just a thought, maybe we could all go out in the night and plant a tree or two..?..

[Michael Palaeologus]

Olive trees in ED? Surely the result of indolent ED Gastronomes spitting their olive stones out of the dining room window, aimed at the passing lower classes?