In progress
Tree that was fine and healthy cutdown inexplicably
Sent to Merton Council less than a minute later. Council ref: SRQ-1265099-J2R5Y4.
An established Elm tree on Tennyson Avenue near the junction of Arthur Road has been cut down in the last 24 hours with no explanation to residents as to why. It was a fine and healthy tree. Road works on the water system is in progress and I suspect some damage was done to the tree by the crew. I would like to know why this happened and what the parties responsible and the council are going to do about it. We like our leafy road and would need to have it replaced asap. There have been other trees on Arthur Road that have fallen in storms years ago and still haven’t been replaced, this mustn’t happen with our Tennyson Avenue Elm.
Updates
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Thank you for reporting a problem with a street tree.
We aim to inspect street tree problems within 10 working days of being reported, or 2 hours if the tree is dangerous. We aim to carry out any necessary work within 30 working days.
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We care for more than 20,000 street trees in Merton, including pruning, pollarding, and planting hundreds each year to keep streets green, safe, and walkable.
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Thank you for your report. During a routine inspection, signs of structural weakness (e.g. internal decay, cavity) were recorded. As the tree was found to be high risk, in the interest of protecting both the public and property we had no other choice but to fell it. We only ever remove trees as a last resort, if they have become unsafe, dead or diseased. On the face of it trees can appear healthy, even with less than 1 inch of alive tissue at the surface. However, the wood inside has been consumed by a wood decay fungi, to the extent that not enough strength remains to support the trees weight. Therefore, a tree can appear healthy but ultimately be a danger to people and property. The Councils ultimate responsibility is to ensure public street trees remain healthy and safe whilst appreciating that it is a living organism that is susceptible to external factors such as disease as was the case in this instance. After grinding the stump, we will arrange a replacement.
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