Oh dear Ellen

The tree officer Ellen seems to have been rather lax with her e mails. Sadly this will probably now have to be registered as a formal complaint with the council and I just hate doing that. But this communication can't be left un challenged. I have given Ellen the benefit of the doubt in the past but this one is a step too far.

From an e mail from Ellen to Councillor Statham on April 12th.

There is though, as far as I can ascertain from a distance, increased erosion in the area of the slope with the runoff from the tennis club drainage. This is also the area of the unauthorised felling by the landowners so it is likely that this felling has further destabilised the slope in this area. We are currently following up the planting of replacement trees which the owners are required to carry out in agreement with Development Management. 

This area of the woodland, where there is water run off, has been tackled over the last 2 years now to try to regenerate a problem area. A sycamore tree was removed on advice of someone other than Ellen but in accordance with the woodland management plan. The area is vastly improved and a meeting with a land engineer recently has consolidated plans to deal with the water issue. A French drain has been advised. Sounds simple enough. It coud be though that the planting will take anyway. There has been some success so far. If the area under the power lines is anything to go by, our plans will mean that the overall appearance of the bank will be complete and stunning in less than 3 years. There are a number of Cherry trees just to the West of the slope and I think a few more Cherry trees will be just stunning, especially in the Spring. Cherry grows quickly as well.
For Ellen to suggest she is following up planting of replacement trees is rather economical with the truth. Ellen wrote to me to indicate tree planting advised for this area. I thought that was useful since I was planting in this area anyway. I planted in Autumn 2009 but the majority of the plants washed down the slope. Planting in 2010 was hampered by a rather severe and early onset winter. Ellen was supposed to write to me with a new deadline but never did. Now in 2011 I have heeled in all the replacement planting in a patch, whilst working on the clearance of piles of rubbish from the run off area. So far - 1 garden chair (lost when we were away for a year), a metal pole from the tennis club fence, a bakers basket, an umberella, some cemetery ware (don't ask), lots of crockery, rubble etc. and tons of really good soil. I cancelled my Bannatynes membership this year because I am using the physical act of taking bucket loads of soil up the hill to my garden areas as an alternative form of exercise. It is really tough.
The wild flowers are spreading into the run off area for the first time since I have lived here. It is just lovely to see the fox gloves populating this area of the bank. I managed to plant a woodland clematis and a honeysuckle as well. Fingers crossed that they take.

Oh and Ellens survey of this area, done in 2009 but not communicated to me other than a letter, the contents of which I do not agree with. I found the survey report in her file at Fairfield House when I was looking at the file for another reason. It's not accurate and a correction that I asked for has not been placed in the file. That's sloppy at best and duplicitous at worst.

For the record - from the year 2000 WMP

In fact, the soil on top of the bank has been affected by the construction of the tennis courts and is a very freely draining......................

An ash and a beech, both 20cms dbh. The path becomes very narrow here with erosion taking place on the north side, marked * on the map. This is a dangerous point. The beeches on either side of the path are casting a lot of shade and suppressing the ground vegetation which is mainly grasses.

The erosion of the bank next to the corner of the tennis courts is likely to increase very quickly and could become significant.

From a response from Donald Rodger when I copied Ellens e mail to him.

Dear Susan

With regard to the issue of bank de-stabilisation, I feel it is erroneous to suggest that by felling a tree (or trees) that this will inevitably result in soil erosion or 'de-stabilisation' of the entire bank. The key factor here is that the stump and roots have remained in-situ, and it is the multitude of root contacts and inter-laced undergorund network which effectively helps to 'bind' the soil on the slopes. If the roots had been grubbed out, then that may have resulted in problems, but that clearly is not the case here.

In addition, the removal of a tree will encourage greater development of ground vegetation through increased light levels, and allow for the regeneration of tree species. The stump is also likely to remain alive and will coppice. The net effect is to create a thicker 'mat' of lush ground vegetation which may in fact be of increased benefit in stabilising the soil on the slopes. This effect is already being seen on the areas you have planted and which are regenerating naturally.

I am therefore of the opinion that the removal of an occassional tree (which is inevitable from time to time as part of good woodland management) will not have any adverse impact on soil stabilisation on the steep slopes, providing the stump and root system remain intact. Indeed, it may have a slightly beneficial effect in the long term by encouraging a better developed field layer.

With regard to the specific area of erosion caused by the surface water run-off from the tennis courts, this is essentially outwith your control and is for the tennis club to remedy. The erosion is being caused through no fault of your own, and indeed you have taken steps to mitigate this, at your own expense, by repeated attempts at re-planting. Until the tennis club resolve the issue of their run-off, then I fear that this area will always be prone to some degree of erosion, despite your best efforts.

I hope this is of some assistance in the meantime.

Regards

Donald

Donald Rodger BSc(Hons)For, FICFor, FArborA, MIBiol, CBiol, CEnv
Registered Consultant of the Arboricultural Association