Brent Council 'sad' at loss of fine, healthy mature oak tree they felled on Barn Hill

Photo: Lasitha Leelasena

Photo: Lasitha Leelaseena

 Residents of Barn Hill were shocked to find that what they saw as a beautiful health oak tree on an open space, between  Brampton Grove and Basing Hill, had been felled by Brent Council.

Apart from the main Barn Hill open space there are remnants of Humphry Repton's landscaping present amongst the 1930s housing on the hill. Its oak trees create a unique green environment, apparent from many vantage points, and contribute to the area's clean air.

 

Survivors amongst the housing

 

Some residents were aghast and asked Brent Council why the tree had been felled - was it disease or something else?

Kelly Eaton, Head of Parks and Green Infrastructure responded to residents:

I am afraid that we had to remove the tree because of an insurance claim related to property subsidence. In these instances we undertake a rigorous process of assessment of damage caused and liaise closely with our insurance team and loss adjusters. We considered every possible option to save the tree before having to make the difficult decision for its removal. I offer my assurance that the Parks Service did not take this decision lightly, especially when a healthy tree needs to be removed. It leaves us all with a great sadness when this has to take place. I am sorry that we did not inform neighbours before this work was undertaken. We cannot replant in the same location but will work with colleagues to identify alternative locations for any tree replanting.

 

Local historian Philip Grant adds:

 

This is a very sad loss, as this was a tree planted as part of Humphry Repton's landscaping of Richard Page's Wembley Park estate lands in 1793. You can read about this at the end of Part 1 of my 2020 local history series about Wembley Park:
https://wembleymatters.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-wembley-park-story-part-1.html

Although they are now more than 230 years old, you can still follow the lines of oak trees that Repton had planted around the boundary of Richard Page's estate, and as a landscape feature framing the summit of Barn Hill when viewed from the Wembley Park mansion on the northern slope of Wembley Hill.

I have sent Martin a copy of a map from 1920, a few years before developers started to build the Barn Hill estate. This (above) clearly shows many of Repton's lines of trees, with an arrow added to point out the row of trees retained when Basing Hill and Branpton Grove were developed by Wimpey's in the 1930s.

One of those oaks is the casualty of Brent Council's response to an insurance claim. It was not the tree's fault, because it had its roots in that ground more than a century before the houses were built

Covid-19: Brent's parks stay open but children's playgrounds, MUGAs, tennis courts and outdoor gyms to close

 Kelly Eaton, Brent Parks, Policy and Projects Manager has written to Brent Parks Forum to update them on partial closures in the borough's parks.

I just wanted to update you in this time of uncertainty with the current Covid-19 situation.

You may have seen in the news this weekend, reports of large numbers of visitors to Parks and Open Spaces.  We all know how important parks are for physical and mental wellbeing, however in the current climate we are concerned that people are not heeding social distancing advice and are crowding together in playgrounds, Multi Use Games Areas and gyms.

I am therefore writing to you as ‘Friends of ‘ groups in our parks to advise that as of today (Monday), we are closing children’s playgrounds, Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) , tennis courts and, where possible, outdoor gyms.  Signs will be placed on gates to each facility advising that it is closed until further notice. Any toilet facilities will also be closed and we are currently in liaison with the two café’s in Roundwood and Gladstone Park as to their operating status.

We do not take this decision lightly, but it has been made in the interests of public health.

I hope that you understand our decision and please contact me if you have any further questions about this approach.

We’re glad that people are still using our parks for a breath of fresh air, but we are asking park users respect public health advice to:

•           Stay two metres away from others

•           Not touch their face

•           Wash their hands thoroughly as soon as they get home

Welcome changes in Brent Parks Department's management of wildflower meadows

Cowslips in the wildflower meadow at the University of Westminster, Northwick Park

I was very critical when Brent Council decided to save £450,000 by creating wildflower meadows in its parks. I suggested that just letting the grass grow did not in itself constitute a wildflower meadow.  Seed sowing, plug plants and correct management to ensure that the meadows are not overwhelmed by thistles etc are all essential. It seemed more of a cost-cutting exercise than a positive commitment to bio-diversity. LINK

At a recent meeting of Brent Friends of the Earth I was pleased to hear from the very enthusiastic new head of the Brent Parks Service, Kelly Eaton, that one third of each meadow area in our parks and open spaces will be sown with both annual and perennial seeds over a three year programme.  Preparation will involve tilling the seeding area. Predictably Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt was recently involved in a rather artificial photo opportunity:

In her talk Kelly Eaton also said that she would looking at the potential phasing out the use of pesticides in parks and open spaces over the near future. Glysophate is still used in Brent despite the controversy over its  possible association with cancer. 

There is now a biodiversity page on the Brent Council website which is still being developed, that explains the wildflower project: LINK 
 
To increase the amount of biodiversity in our Parks and Open Spaces, a change has been made in the way our grassed areas are managed. Our larger parks allow for a wide mix of uses of the area; including amenity grass to allow for ball games and picnics as well as the newly introduced meadow areas.

This year, we are also introducing wildflowers into our meadow areas. Not only will this introduce bursts of colour into our meadows, it will also lead to increased visits from butterflies, moths, dragonflies, bees and numerous other pollinating insects.

The planned wildlife meadow areas in some of our parks and open spaces:

-->It is refreshing to be able to publish some goods news from Brent Council  and I also welcome changes in the Parks Department in terms of the management of allotments that has meant, as far as my own site at Birchen Grove is concerned, a more proactive approach to letting overgrown plots. Great stuff. Next focus Brent's street and park trees?

Meanwhile if you fancy an early morning outing there is a Dawn Chorus Walk tomorrow, Saturday May 4th, in Gladstone Park. Meet at 5.20am at the Anson Road entrance.

The biodiversity web pages will focus on a different park or open space each month. LINK