A tree expert has condemned recent work in Spalding as ‘wilful vandalism’.
Arboriculturalist Brian Ogden has detailed the damage he says the method of cutting will have done to the trees on London Road but a South Holland District Council spokesman said the work was carried out following the correct process and under regulation.
Mr Ogden has called for the trees to get protected status via a Tree Protection Order but the council spokesman explained that as the trees are in a conservation area, any work follows the same rules as if they were protected.
Mr Odgen said: “I cannot stand by and see these trees mismanaged to such an extent.
“Such a drastic reduction leaving huge open cut wound right through cell walls and the removal of so much of the crown of these trees will result in physiological stress.
“This has removed 75 per cent of the trees leaf-bearing crown.
“Leaves are the food factories of a tree. Removing them will temporarily starve the trees and trigger many survival mechanisms. Principally the trees will have to put out a new crop of leaves as soon as possible, and use up valuable stored energy reserves to do so, weakening the trees leading to premature death.”
He added as a result the trees are “more vulnerable to insect and disease infestations” and susceptible to “structural weakness”, “bark splitting” and fungi.
“I fail to see why anyone would ever specify this work, it harms the trees, looks dreadful, and it is also expensive,” he said.
