Surrey Wildlife Trust to fell thousands of Ash trees

[claydon]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but I'd be interested to hear the professionals view of this.

 

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woodland-owner-against-surrey-wildlife-15361029

 

Seems a bit over the top to me clearing all trees within 30m of path where do you draw the line? Fell every Oak in case of summer drop?

[Mark Bolam]

Mr. Mannix seems to be a sensible guy with the same standpoint as me Claydon.

 

I totally get it in high risk areas, but woodlands are different.

 

I think it’s the wrong call.

 

Hort Week recently had a piece about an estate felling all their ash ‘because they’re all going to die anyway’.

 

If ash are going to survive I think a more measured approach is necessary.

 

That said, dead ash must be amongst my least favourite trees to dismantle. Treacherous things, even without rigging.

There will be some horror stories in the years to come.

[nepia]

I read the Trust's own magazine write up of it last night and the situation is exactly as described.  Ithink where it went wrong was when they decided on the operation 'with the HSE'.   Rookie error. 

 

More seriously yes, there is obviously a duty for the Trust to make safe ( I was a bit puzzled by their stated intent to do so for the public, horses and dogs) but 30m...?  I don't know; maybe they own special woods where all the ash are 100'.  It does seem OTT.

 

I wonder if the backlash and the financial savings to be made by reducing the 30m thing might change their attitude.  I won't hold my breath but I hope so; I live here.

Edited November 9, 2018 by nepia

[john p]

Mr. Mannix seems to be a sensible guy with the same standpoint as me Claydon.
 
I totally get it in high risk areas, but woodlands are different.
 
I think it’s the wrong call.
 
Hort Week recently had a piece about an estate felling all their ash ‘because they’re all going to die anyway’.
 
If ash are going to survive I think a more measured approach is necessary.
 
That said, dead ash must be amongst my least favourite trees to dismantle. Treacherous things, even without rigging.
There will be some horror stories in the years to come.

You know that, everyone will be jumping on the tree surgery wagon (if there’s anyone not on it already, judging by the amount round here!). Combine that with customer s waiting till its been dead for 3 years and it’s a recipe for disaster, IME you don’t fuck about with dead Ash, but there will be plenty who will chasing a quick buck.

[Toad]

14 minutes ago, nepia said:

More seriously yes, there is obviously a duty for the Trust to make safe ( I was a bit puzzled by their stated intent to do so for the public, horses and dogs) but 30m...?  I don't know; maybe they own special woods where all the ash are 100'.  It does seem OTT..

I think it is 2x the height of the tree, so one falling doesn't knock the next one onto the path.

 

I guess it could be argued that they are looking at future issues, as stated taking down dead ash trees will be hazardous and I think I read that the recommendation will be to use a harvester to protect the people doing the work. The damage to the rest of the wood by the harvester and the cost might be seen as too high? Dunno though, I'm just a curious bystander.

[Mark Bolam]

31 minutes ago, john p said:

You know that, everyone will be jumping on the tree surgery wagon (if there’s anyone not on it already, judging by the amount round here!). Combine that with customer s waiting till its been dead for 3 years and it’s a recipe for disaster, IME you don’t fuck about with dead Ash, but there will be plenty who will chasing a quick buck.

Those who don’t know what they’re doing won’t be chasing it for long John!

[claydon]

44 minutes ago, Toad said:

I guess it could be argued that they are looking at future issues, as stated taking down dead ash trees will be hazardous and I think I read that the recommendation will be to use a harvester to protect the people doing the work. The damage to the rest of the wood by the harvester and the cost might be seen as too high? Dunno though, I'm just a curious bystander.

So thats the other thing, using harvesters. Obviously its going to be done in the winter, and most probably the ground is clay, its going to make an un-holy mess. I do get felling dead Ash isn't exactly a barrel of laughs, but I bet none of these tress (the ones that actually are dead that is) will have been dead long enough for the structure to have changed enough to make it any more of a hazard than normal?

 

The cynic in me suggests this is more to do with the Wildlife Trusts subsidiary firewood business!

Edited November 9, 2018 by claydon

[openspaceman]

13 minutes ago, claydon said:

but I bet none of these tress (the ones that actually are dead that is) will have been dead long enough for the structure to have changed enough to make it any more of a hazard than normal?

 

The cynic in me suggests this is more to do with the Wildlife Trusts subsidiary firewood business!

I was thinking just that on both points.

 

Was the bloke in the article the successful applicant for the firewood manager role that was advertised last year?

[nepia]

9 hours ago, Toad said:

I think it is 2x the height of the tree, so one falling doesn't knock the next one onto the path.

 

 

Probably true but wasn't the ethos behind H&S to be 'reasonable', not to always cater for the unlikeliest eventuality?

And this is natural (sort of) woodland for Heaven's sake, not a crop in the middle of a city!

Do the FC do anything similar with phytophthora-dead trees when near a track or path?!

[steve collins]

Have just completed a job this year where 550 plus mature ash were felled on a THINNING PROGRAMME  where the trees are heavily monitored over 5 years due to it being a high public access and has a road along one edge, what they are saying is a clearfell which is just ridiculous.

 

Now the major problem is that they are saying they "  will only fell them at two metres or six feet, in case there is re-growth that may withstand the disease."

 

Hands up who wants to fell potentially rotten diseased ash at 2 metres??