Chopping down trees in "ancient woodland"

silvercar

Since when did I need to be qualified to be able to read the council's regulations which clearly state that felling any tree over 70mm trunk diameter and greater than 2m height require 6 weeks notification to the Local Planning Authority who can then decide whether to put a TPO on it or not.

Those dimensions seem very small, I have offshoots of ash trees that grow to that size within 2 years. If I had to notify the council every time I got rid of one of those it would soon become my most frequent dialled number.

*No tree qualifications, but can measure 70mm.

Davesnave

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Sorry, forgot to add.... there is a big difference in woodland management and chopping down a huge patch of woodland to a) fuel your wood burner and b) get sunlight onto the back of your house.... this is very much the later of the two.

You didn't say he'd chopped down a 'huge patch' in your original post, you said he'd done it regularly. I coppice 'regularly.'

Allowing sunlight onto the back of a residence could also be seen as ecologically neutral, since a reduction in fossil fuel use could be expected from the increased solar gain in winter months. There could be other wildlife gains from allowing a greater diversity of planting too.

However, I'm not here as an apologist for this person, just saying that there are alternative ways of looking at this.

Presumably, if he's selling, he'll not be felling trees there much longer, but if you want to report him, do so. It will then be for the local tree officer to decide where that goes. Like Pilate, the matter will be out of your hands.

Dan-Dan

leveller2911 wrote: »

bit of useless information but centuries ago they would plant hawthorn and blackthorn in the hedges specifically to stop witches running along the tops of the hedges.

top trivia , thanks , love reading stuff like this !

AlexMac

The idealist in me says 'save the sylvan glades' but the pragmatist says 'waste of time'.
What evidence do you have other than hearsay...? And how often do Councils enforce?

In my experience, they don't! I live in a conservation area, where, as others have said, no trees may be cut or even pruned without an application to the Council... So when I saw unconsulted felling going on in a nearby end of garden plot which was actually owned by the Council but was soon to be sold off (for potential future redevelopment I assume), I took photos and grassed it up to the Trees Officer in the Planning Dept...

To absolutely no effect, even when I pushed it via the Ward Councillor.

OK I'm retired so have time on my hands, but I suspect you still have a life, with better things to do?

silverwhistle

Lifes_Grand_Plan wrote: »

Since when did I need to be qualified to be able to read the council's regulations which clearly state that felling any tree over 70mm trunk diameter and greater than 2m height require 6 weeks notification to the Local Planning Authority who can then decide whether to put a TPO on it or not.

Really, really, that's less than 3 inches? Could you give us the link? As somebody else has pointed out that would prevent coppicing and I'm sure councils don't want to be involved in that level of detail with their current resources.

When I moved back to my house after renting it out whilst I lived abroad there was a self-seeded sycamore and an Elder in inappropriate places and far too large for the garden. Out they came, as did a similar holly in next door's garden. I suspect if I'd contatcted the council they'd have said 'You what?' besides taking more than 6 weeks to respond!

Elsewhere

BTW, we have a woodburner and an open fire. We generally have one of these lit every day during the winter and keep them going very well with branches that drop from our oak trees (we've only ever deliberately cut one complete tree down years ago when we extended our house) and by cutting back hazel (and some ash and willow).

If you let hazel grow too big it falls over and dies - its roots are very shallow and thrives better if cut back hard - almost ground level. The ash and willow regrow from stumps too.

So unless this person has a mansion with lots of woodburners that he runs 24/7 or is selling the wood he's probably not cutting more than the wood can sustain.

Davesnave

leveller2911 wrote: »

Bit of useless information but centuries ago they would plant hawthorn and blackthorn in the hedges specifically to stop witches running along the tops of the hedges.

Dan-Dan wrote: »

top trivia , thanks , love reading stuff like this !

It's not useless or trivia. I have yet to see a witch walking along my hawthorn/blackthorn hedge, so it clearly works.

Mind you, if she did, I bet it would be strictly sloe, sloe, quick, quick, sloe.......;)

societys_child

Sour grapes, do they need cutting down?

GLegal

Yeah but they are always planting new trees to replenish the stock..