October 2008 Newsletter

From Seed to Sapling

 

Janet Thorning gave a most interesting account of the work of the Wirral Tree Wardens at our September meeting. Janet emphasised that the main function of the group, now in its fourth year, was to raise the awareness of people in general to the existence of trees in their environment – after all, Wirral would be a very different place without its trees!  Her group was concerned only with North Wirral, the South Wirral being covered by the Cheshire scheme of tree wardens.

 

So far the Wardens had done little in the way of formal survey of the trees in the area, having mainly been occupied in tree-planting, talking to school groups, tree-dressing for children, walks in the woods in May….  Their funding was very limited, but there was no doubt about their commitment. They were “the eyes and ears of the community”.

 

North Wirral has only one “registered ancient tree” an ancient oak in Eastham – though there is a huge hollow turkey oak worth a visit near the Moreton/Upton interchange.

TPO system inadequate

 

Better protection was needed for trees under threat, Janet argued. A Tree Preservation Order, usually only needed in an emergency, was hard to get and took time to apply; irreparable damage had usually been done by the time the Order was granted. The system needed overhaul. There should be a central point where information was available to the public about all trees of value. Then there would be much better defence against “strimmer cowboys” bent on tidying up whether appropriate or not.

 

(One member of the audience privately revealed that she had suffered from the other side of a TPO. Her father had at the edge of his garden a Black Poplar which cut out the light to both house and garden. She was anxious to preserve the tree by taking cuttings, but felt it totally unjust that by law they were not allowed to cut the tree back – even though, she claimed, it was dangerous.)

 

Janet felt particularly strongly about the wanton removal of trees deemed untidy. She showed a photograph of one that had stood splendidly at the Greasby end of Pump Lane. It had needed some attention to dangerous limbs but, once taken into the care of the road team, had soon been utterly removed. Today in the spot where it had grown for maybe a couple of hundred years there is no sign that it ever existed.  

 

One somewhat surprising effect was mentioned by Janet – on the removal of trees. Most of us are familiar with the notion that trees can do great damage to building by undermining their foundations, breaking drains, disturbing driveways…  It is less obvious that, when trees are removed and their roots decay, just as much damage can result.

 

If you would like to take part in activities with Janet’s group or learn more about it, you can contact them

 

Wirral Tree Wardens

Wirral LA21 Network

79 Gorsey Lane

Wallasey

CH44 4HF

 

email Janet or telephone 639 2121

 

Wirral Tree Wardens website  www.wirraltreewardens.co.uk

Turkey Oak foliage. Photo: Wikipedia