Green party deputy leader visits tree protest site
Dozens of protesters joined the Green Party’s deputy leader near a controversial housing development which has seen hundreds of trees felled. Amelia Womack said she was visiting the town after learning of the grassroots protest movement, supported by her local party members, after the trees were cut down on the former Blackwell Grange Golf Course site in Darlington to make way for executive homes. She met local residents, took a tour of the historic parkland opposite, which could also be developed, and saw first-hand the Willows building site – which has now been dubbed ‘Weeping Willows’ by campaigners, to show…
Developers urged to act over dangerous trees
Developers have been urged to take urgent action over a group of dangerous oak trees on a village housing estate after a branch fell from one of the trees. Broadbridge Heath Parish Council has written to developers Countryside, outlining concerns over the state of the trees on the Wickhurst Green Estate. The council first raised concerns over two months ago. Parish council chairman Viv Edwards issued a statement on behalf of the council saying: “At the annual Parish Meeting in May, a representative from Countryside was made aware of the dangerous state of some of the larger trees on the…
STIHL upgrades MultiEngine offering
Adding to its range of MultiSystem tools, STIHL has unveiled the new MM 56 MultiEngine suitable for a wide range of tasks in lawn maintenance, soil cultivation and surface cleaning. Replacing the MM 55, the new MM 56 delivers more power and torque thanks to the upgraded 2-Mix engine, providing that little bit extra when needed. STIHL 2-Mix technology also offers higher efficiency and lower emissions, rendering it more economical than its predecessor. Supplied with a wheel kit as standard, the MM 56 is compatible with the extensive range of existing attachments and is suitable for a host of different…
UKDN Waterflow releases report on tree root growth impact on urban drainage
“With the onset of climate change, better understanding of the risks trees pose for buried water utility assets is vital to asset maintenance,” says UKDN Waterflow (LG) Ltd director Richard Leigh. Tree roots and their impact on drainage systems The paper highlights surprising findings from Swedish & UK researchers and the Arbroricultural Adivsory and Information Service (AAIS). Common perceptions suggest that tree roots directly cause damage to pipes. Yet research discovered in the majority of cases, roots only take advantage of previously damaged or vulnerable pipes. Tree roots can exert a pressure of up to 20 bar per sq. cm,…
Britain must cherish its trees or lose them
The recent felling of 110,000 mature trees by city councils in Britain such as Sheffield, and the secretive tree-cutting operations of Network Rail, will seem like kindling compared with the bonfires that will have to be lit if diseases take hold in our gardens, avenues, copses and forests. Britain lost 30 million elms to Dutch elm disease in the 1970s. In London, many horse chestnuts have drooping brown leaves and struggle to produce their white candle flowers, having been invaded by the leaf miner moth. Millions of ash trees are at risk of ash dieback, which was first found in a…
Particulate matter increases drought vulnerability of trees
Particulate matter deposits on leaves increase plant transpiration and the risk of plants suffering from drought. Particulate matter could thus be contributing more strongly to tree mortality and forest decline than previously assumed. This is suggested by results from a greenhouse study led by the university of Bonn, in which tree seedlings grown in almost particulate matter free air or in unfiltered air were compared. The impact of particulate matter on human health has gained widespread attention, but little is known about the effects that fine particulates can have on plants. The phenomenon of forest damage after dry years has…
This is just how valuable trees really are
The most valuable benefit is air quality. In this paper, London gained £375m of value thanks to trees filtering the air of pollution from things such as diesel cars and buses. This would increase if more trees were planted, especially if they were placed next to busy main roads. Trees are living things and as such they grow. To grow they suck carbon dioxide out of the air and convert it into bigger trunks, stronger branches, and more leaves. The trees in London sequester CO₂, which has a benefit of £11.9m per annum. But trees grow year on year, so…
Heatwave ruins thousands of Christmas trees
Weeks of dry weather and scorching temperatures in Wales have ruined around 10,000 Christmas trees belonging to a Welsh tree farmer. Rob Morgan, owner of Gower Fresh Christmas Trees, invests a huge amount of time and effort into the firm. He plants around 30,000 new trees every year, with the seeds being imported from Canada before going to a plant nursery for four years. The plant then goes into the ground for eight years – meaning from seed to sale, it takes around 12 years to get the finished product. The farm is one of the largest Christmas tree growers…
Tree Rescue saves veteran trees for free
UK landowners, arborists and members of the public are invited to nominate veteran trees that are stressed or in decline to receive free revitalising treatment from Tree Rescue. Britain has more ancient trees than almost all other European countries but, despite their value, maintaining their health has long been overlooked in environmental plans and legislation, including DEFRA’s 25 Year Environmental Plan published earlier this year. Now tree officers, consultants and the general public have the opportunity to get free treatment for their veteran trees through Tree Rescue. Tree Rescue, which is sponsored by Apex Soil Solutions and Carbon Gold, is…
