Apparently with the approval of the Council, this weekend Cardiff Universityfelled several trees in the area
of the Parade between the North Building
and Trevithick. Staff working in these
buildings were given no notice of this
until 4pm on Friday and the work was
carried out on Saturday morning.
I am told anecdotally the Cardiff
City Council has destroyed many
urban trees on the pretext of
structural problems but
I don't know if there is any concrete
information on this. I seem to remember that false claims were
used by the Council in Bute Park to claim that trees had to be
felled because they were said to be rotten.
Cardiff Council's tree subcontractors appear to be very keen to chop down beautiful mature healthy trees without re-planting. I have lost count of the number locally - including Pontcanna Fields, Bute Park and in Canton, Riverside and Grangetown.
Malcolm Frazer (Arboricultu
ral Officer) wrote:
Thank you for your E mail regarding tree felling in Cardiff.
It as to be appreciated that we have in excess of 1 million trees in the City which we are responsible for. A significant number are mature, aging trees with many affected by disease, old age and wind damage. The majority of removals are due to safety reasons having identified trees which have become unsound and liable to collapse such as the mature Beech in Bute Pk. With regards to the other locations you mention, we have not removed any trees from Pontcanna Fields this year although one of the mature Limes is diseased and will be removed. Re-planting will take place this winter filling in the gaps in the Lime Ave.
The tree removals in Lla
ndaff Fields relates to the mature Chestnuts, unfortunately, several of these trees have become infected with this new bacterial disease and as a result are beginning to die back, in addition, it is hoped to reduce the spread of the disease by removal of the infected trees. Again re-planting of the Avenue will commence this winter. Of the 2.5 thousand trees in Bute Pk a small number have recently been removed again due to disease and old age. Over the last 12 years we have planted in excess of 700 trees around the park and more planting is scheduled as part of the Heritage lottery grant in the next few years.
The tree removals in Grangetown and Canton possible refers to the removal of highway trees. These are inspected on a three yearly cycle and only those which have inherent defects, posing a hazard to the highway are removed along with any which are becoming to large for their situation. A re-planting programme follows the maintenance work this winter with the numbers planted being dependant on available resources.
Whilst I appreciate it may appear we are removing healthy trees, we only remove trees due to safety and health reasons and we are constantly replanting trees through out the City ensuring a new generation of trees are developing for the future.
I trust this information is of assistance.
Yours,
Malcolm Frazer Arboricultural Officer
Danger trees to go - WalesOnline
Jun 27 2008 by Abby Alford, South Wales EchoTWO decaying trees in the cit
y centre will be removed on Sunday by Cardiff council. Hayes Island is home to six mature London plane trees and one flowering cherry tree. But one of the plane trees and the cherry tree have become a danger to the public. Both trees will be replaced by new plane trees in the winter.
Tree felled for giant screen? - WalesOnline
WHEN I wrote to Viewpoints in May opposing the then proposed felling of two mature trees in The Hayes, I refrained from suggesting that behind the decision ...www.walesonline.co.uk/news/letters-to-the-editor/south-wales-echo-letters/Tree felled for giant screen?
Aug 25 2008 by Our Correspondent, South Wales Echo
WHEN I wrote to Viewpoints in May opposing the then proposed felling of two mature trees in The Hayes, I refrained from suggesting that behind the decision lay a hidden agenda.
If I had done so this would appear to have been correct.
With the giant screen erected on the side of the St David’s Hall for the public to view the Olympics, it’s obvious that the cherry tree was directly in line with it and because it would have blocked the view it was felled.
In an act of opportunism at the same time the London plane which had been reprieved almost a decade earlier also fell because of its proximity to the snack bar counter.
After felling the stumps of both trees were removed in what must be record time compared with the many others which have been previously left standing around the city.
Also, it did not go unnoticed that the plane tree’s stump was sprouting around a score of healthy shoots in its last week. Bill JulianTrenchard Drive, Llanishen, Cardiff
Park’s trees are among the UK’s finest - WalesOnlineBUTE Park’s award-winning arboretum has 159 mature trees of 66 different varieties, from oaks, rowans, birches and sycamores to more exotic specimens such as a Chinese necklace poplar and a weeping hornbeam.
Around 50 of the park’s trees are designated as Champion trees and recognised as being among the finest examples of their type in the UK.
As part of the plans, between seven and 10 will have to be culled. This has been approved by a professional tree survey which concluded that the trees to be culled would have to be brought down anyway as they were “over mature” or diseased.
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/09/04/park-s-trees-are-among-the-uk-s-finest-91466-21670405/
Ms Black said: “Unfortunately, some councils don’t have proactive tree policies and take a knee-jerk health and safety reaction.”
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/02/games-of-conkers-Delay warning as emergency tree work forces road closure - WalesOnline
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/17/delay-warning-as-
Delay warning as emergency tree work forces road closure
Oct 17 2008 by Katie Norman, South Wales Echo
A BUSY road will be closed six hours a day for 25 days while overhanging trees are cut down – and it could lead to even heavier traffic on one of the area’s most congested routes. Bus services and traffic will be diverted when the A469 Thornhill Road, in Thornhill, Cardiff, is closed from 9.30am until 3.30pm on weekdays for five weeks from Monday, October 27. The closures have been ordered by Cardiff council to make way for essential tree-felling work.
WalesOnline, United Kingdom -
The A469 Thornhill Road from the city to Caerphilly had been scheduled to shut during the day for five weeks for the felling of 300 trees. ...
Guide warns on tree-felling law - WalesOnline A GUIDE to help people stay out of court and avoid being prosecuted for cutting down trees without permission was launched yesterday by Forestry Commission ...
www.walesonline.co.uk/countryside-farming-news/equestrian-news/2007/07/
‘Why did council give trees the chop?’ - WalesOnline
LUKE Dibble could not believe his eyes when he woke up to find council workers chopping down a dozen conifer trees in the garden of his home.www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/vale-glamorgan-news/2007/12/11/
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/11/18/trees-to-be-felled-
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/cardiff-news/2008/11/04/trees-in-danger-
