Statement on removal of oak tree at Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans
From Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery for St Albans City and District Council, said:
The oak tree is being removed by our contractor today as tests carried out by arboriculture experts have shown it is diseased and dying, fast deteriorating and in danger of failing.
Tree decay fungi were rapidly and extensively reducing the structural integrity of the base of the tree. Extremes of heat and rainfall over the last few days have also reduced its stability.
We appreciate the tree was a much-loved feature of the local landscape, but we hope residents can understand that we have no option but to remove it.
Sadly, the tree has reached the end of its life and become a safety risk to the public.
We manage highways trees in the urban parts of the District on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council. Both councils are in agreement with the health and safety assessment and the need to fell in the interest of public safety.
Great care is always taken when we remove a tree to ensure that wildlife is not endangered.
An ecologist carried out a wildlife assessment of the tree last week and found that the nesting birds had left.
A further inspection will be carried out just before work starts to confirm this.
Hertfordshire County Council will now replace the tree as it does with all highways trees that have to be removed for health and safety reasons.
As a Council, we are committed to tackling the climate emergency and planting trees is one of the many actions we are taking to do this.
During the last planting season, we planted more than 3,500 trees on our green spaces and gave away around 7,500 trees to our residents. This week, we have announced a further giveaway of 8,000 trees during the next planting season.
Further information:
11,000 trees planted last year: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/news/11000-new-trees-planted-across-st-albans-district-over-last-year-0
8,000 trees to be given away this year: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/news/residents-be-given-8000-free-trees-planting-st-albans-district
Free fruit trees for schools: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/news/veolia-orchard-back-help-schools-blossom-biodiversity
ENDS
Contact for the media: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727-819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.