 | ||
There was rapid support when a Dollis Hill resident appealed on the community website Next Door for help after he spotted hard hatted tree surgeons seemingly about to fell some mature trees, including an oak, in a private garden bordering a public space.
Advice poured in on Facebook and The View from Dollis Hill Facebook group and Brent's Tree Protection Officer was contacted. A temporary Tree Protection Order had been put in place by the end of the day.
Ronan, the resident who raised the alarm and someone who clearly values the borough's trees takes up the story:
Brent's Tree Protection Officer was receptive to examining one particular mature oak tree and determined its value worthy of protection.It is viewable from multiple properties and the street, forming a dense cover between houses and providing a wonderful habitat for wildlife.
There are so few mature oaks outside of parks and each one is a significant loss to our ecological community. Having seen too often such trees get the chop, I was aware time was limited. Fortunately Brent's Tree Protection Officer was able to act quickly enough. It's reassuring to see the support on Nextdoor.co.uk and local facebook groups, it seems clear that there would be vocal opposition to plans to harm the trees in this area. It's worth noting, requesting a TPO can be done by anybody in any borough. www.ltoa.org.uk has the details for each London borough and we should all make some effort to identify significant trees on public and private land. They are our community and voiceless and require us to speak up when they are at risk.
Now the community will turn to the task of making sure the TPO is made permanent.
4 comments:
Alison Hopkins responded: t’s not “just” the tree. The workmen had also illegally taken down Brent housing fencing and driven their vehicles onto Brent council green space. And there’s no planning permission for any works on that house.
Well done Ronan and Dollis Hill residents! We need to look after the trees and green spaces in our neighbourhoods, and it is good to see a Council officer working with you to achieve that.
Update. The fabulous LAwrence has sent me a copy of the TPO. Talked to a great person at Brent Housing Management and they are writing to the landowner to tell them to leave the damn fence ALONE and not to trespass.
Lawrence thinks the tree is at least 80 years old. He's a great chap, slapped TPOs on trees at the primary school where I was chair of governors.
Shame that a Tree Protection Order won't save the fabulous London Plane Tree on corner of Wembley High Road and Cecil Avenue - this will be hacked down when Brent Council develop the old Copland School site - why not design around trees like this?
Post a Comment