Cherished oak tree to be felled after being ‘systematically’ poisoned
A cherished oak tree in Cornwall is to be felled after being poisoned, leaving residents distraught.
The mature tree has been declared ‘entirely dead’ following evidence pointing to ‘historic’ drilling into the trunk and the ‘systemic’ injection of herbicide.
The tree has been part of the scenery in Trevellan Road, in the village of Mylor Bridge, close to Falmouth in southern Cornwall, for decades.
It was protected by a tree preservation order and had been healthy up to 2021 – but failed to leaf for the past two years.
An application to cut down the tree was made after one resident, Andrea Smith, complained it was becoming a hazard, according to the Daily Telegraph.
A tree survey found the oak was ‘at extreme risk of falling’ on nearby homes.
‘Branches are now falling from the tree into our (and neighbouring) gardens, representing both a nuisance and a hazard,’ Ms Smith said.
‘We are concerned that the tree itself, which is clearly dead, may fall and threaten both our and adjacent properties.’
A Cornwall council tree officer said they had no objection to the tree being removed.
‘The tree is entirely dead with evidence on site indicative of historic drilling and introduction of herbicide, resulting in irreversible physiological decline.’
It remains a mystery who is responsible for the demise of the tree – with any replacement likely to take ‘generations to establish to a size and stature that meaningfully compensates’, the council said.
Revealing their grief over the tree, one resident said: ‘It is so upsetting. It was such a beautiful, huge tree that has been there for decades and was full of wildlife, even in the winter.’
The proposal to fell the tree comes after the nation was left devastated by the destruction of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall.
The beloved tree – one of the most photographed in the country, which had a starring role in Hollywood blockbuster Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – is alleged to have been deliberately hacked down overnight at the end of September.
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