More trees bite the dust!

[Confused]

I notice three or four very mature trees on the old Riverside site have bitten the dust.

Old and dangerous, or sacrificed on the alter of the new shopping centre? I strongly suspect the later.

 

[Withnail]

These trees?

Pruning being the operative - like Arnie, they vill be back.

 

[My Name is URL]

Not any more they won't Withnail....

A few days ago they were pruned to within an inch of their life but when I went past yesterday they were massacred (as in completely chopped down)

 

[Withnail]

Oh dear, how sad and unnecessary.

 

[Jonah]

As we all know Marks and Spencer don't sell trees so they couldn't have them in their store. I wonder how many trees will be lost when the Morrisons development takes place?

 

[My Name is URL]

A colleague who is a bit of an environment buff contacted the council about this and got the following back:

Dear Mr X (not his real name... haha)

Thankyou for your email to which I can inform that the trees have been removed as part of the consents for redevelopment of the multi-story car park and associated areas. I, myself as the tree officer for Stafford Borough Council was not involved with the decisions made for the site, as I have only been employed at Stafford since May 2012.

However, the trees did have structural problems as a result of previous crown reduction works to retain them and accommodate them within the location, this has resulted in them developing obvious signs of decay, branch failures and the presence of decay fungus Ganoderma, which is still present at the base of the most recent tree to be felled.

I fully understand your concerns and as a tree officer empathise with you, but from a professional arboricultural point of view the trees were at an age where their structural problems would have become a significant health and safety risk to the general public, and any tree surgery maintenance to retain the trees would only allow for further ingress of decay and removal would have been inevitable sooner rather than later.

I hope this provides you with sufficient information, but if you have any further queries in this matter then please don't hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

 

[My Name is URL]

As we all know Marks and Spencer don't sell trees so they couldn't have them in their store. I wonder how many trees will be lost when the Morrisons development takes place?

Perhaps we sould start applying for Tree Preservation Orders for any on that site.... although if past experience (St Georges) is anything to go by then a TPO means nothing....

 

[age'd parent]

"However, the trees did have structural problems as a result of previous crown reduction work"

Says it all, let them be "vandalised" and then knock them down, now applies to trees as well as buildings!

 

[My Name is URL]

Funny how so many trees around the town rarely become "diseased and dangerous" until someone wants to concrete over them....

 

[ATJ]

Watched another one get pulled down today. It's sad to see them go.

It's also sad that the trees lining the river don't seem to ever get any kind of care or maintenance until it's time to chop them down.

 

[Vex]

I've been watching the steady destruction of the trees around there for the past week or so.. Very sad to see so many go.