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Malaysian Reserve
22-04-2025
- Malaysian Reserve
We protect ancient buildings. Trees need the same
THE offences you'd most expect at a Toby Carvery, a budget British chain restaurant, would be those against food. Bad reviews from the past six months highlight poor service, dry meat and lumpy gravy. But one of its sites in Enfield, north London, recently became the scene of a crime against nature. The owners of the eatery, Mitchells & Butlers, admitted to felling an ancient oak tree on the edge of Whitewebbs Park earlier this month. Enfield Council, which owns the land the tree stood on, referred the case to the Metropolitan Police, but the lack of a Tree Preservation Order on this ecological wonder makes it a civil, rather than criminal, matter. An order has now been placed on the remaining stump in the hope it will recover, and council leader Ergin Erbil said it will 'take appropriate legal action' against the company for breaking the terms of the lease. About 18 months on from the tragedy at Sycamore Gap, when a beloved sycamore in Northumberland was crudely cut down in what police described a deliberate act of vandalism, the loss of yet another irreplaceable tree is a wakeup call to a critical gap in nature's legal protections. Though not as visually iconic as that lonely sycamore on Hadrian's Wall, the old oak assassinated this month was far more ecologically valuable. With a girth of more than 6m, the tree was estimated to be between 450 and 500 years old — just halfway through its potential lifespan. Mitchells & Butlers said the tree had been assessed as dying by private contractors and was therefore a risk to the public. But pictures on the Woodland Trust's Ancient Tree Inventory, a database kept by the charity, show healthy spring foliage emerging during pollarding. The dead stems could have been pruned without harming the tree, but instead the contractors opted for the nuclear option: Removing everything. Mitchells & Butlers CEO Phil Urban wrote to residents last week apologising for the upset and saying the company needed to tighten its protocols. Somewhere in this series of events, the oak become victim to a lack of knowledge and due care. A tree's value increases as it ages — and those 'dying' bits are key. An ancient tree is one in the third or final stage of its life, an era that can last for centuries. Like humans, trees become more wrinkled and characterful with age. Cavities form, parts decay and the bark becomes rougher and more creviced while the trunk grows wider and the crown gets smaller. This decrepitude creates unique habitats for mosses, fungi, birds and mammals. An ancient oak like the unfortunate specimen next to the Toby Carvery is estimated to support upwards of 2,300 different species with food and shelter; younger trees simply can't match that. There's also the benefit of the carbon locked away in these trees' monumental bodies and root systems, as well as their spiritual and cultural worth. The felling of the tree at Sycamore Gap prompted an outpouring of grief and anger, as people recounted the sycamore's presence at meaningful life events; the flurry of one-star Google reviews for the Toby Carvery proves that the loss of this tree is also being mourned. Woodland Trust head of campaigning Adam Cormack noted that the tree may have overheard Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators plotting to blow up the House of Lords in 1605, as the original Whitewebbs house was used as a safe house for the group. For something to thrive amid a backdrop of centuries of war and riots, crashes and booms, but not survive an encounter with an overzealous tree surgeon is particularly devastating. A recent report from The Tree Council charity and research agency Forest Research highlights 'significant legal gaps' in the protection of England's most important trees. A 600-year-old oak was felled in 2022 near Peterborough. In 2023, 16 ancient lime trees were cut down to make way for a dual carriageway. A High Court judge later ruled that this shouldn't have happened. While a tree preservation order would have provided legal protection, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-funded review found that these orders tend to be placed reactively, when a tree is under a direct threat. That's no good in a situation like this, where the borough council was blindsided. There's a clear valuation gap between natural and human heritage. As lawyer Paul Powlesland wrote in the Evening Standard: 'A building the same age as the Whitewebbs Oak would ver y likely have been listed, with significant penalties for damaging or destroying it.' It's time to change that. The Tree Council/Forest Research report makes several recommendations, including enhancing data on important trees, improving their legal protection and providing training to tree owners and arborists so they know better how to manage these natural assets. The Labour government has been ripping up environmental protections to show bats and newts won't be allowed to get in the way of growth. While existing rules stipulate that developers must create new habitats for those lost, the government should recognise that there is no appropriate remediation for the loss of centuries-old trees. We protect them — or lose them, forever. The government could take inspiration from the likes of Italy, Portugal, Poland and New Zealand, all of which have official mechanisms to recognise and protect their important trees. In all these countries, anyone, including members of the public, can recommend a tree for protection. That's a fabulous way to make people feel connected to their communities — and the landscape. — Bloomberg This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.. This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Oak felling: 'A crime against 500-year-old being'
There was anger and sadness among people who turned out over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend to protest at the destruction of a tree in Enfield thought to be up to 500 years old. "This is a crime against nature," said one campaigner. "It's a crime against a 500-year-old being." Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday to protest the felling of an ancient oak tree in Whitewebbs Park in north London. The pedunculate oak, which was cut down on 3 April, was located on the edge of an Enfield council-owned park in north London and overlooked the Toby Carvery pub. The council leased the land on which the tree stood to the Toby Carvery. The felling of the tree was not discovered by the council until last week. On Wednesday, Enfield Council's leader branded the felling "an outrage" and said all legal options were being considered. Mitchells & Butlers, the owners of the Toby Carvery pub chain, said they cut down the tree after being told it was dead. In a statement, the company said it had received advice from contractors, who said "the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk". They subsequently added in a later statement that it had taken "necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met". Thousands of people have signed a petition that has asked Enfield Council for an independent investigation into what happened. Here were some of the reactions over the weekend to the felling of the tree. Independent tree consultation Russell Miller told BBC London: "We think this is one of probably less than 100 [trees] in London of this size, so it's a very significant loss. "It is possible the tree will shoot, but the chances are the wounds on it are so big it will desiccate, as although the shoots will grow, they will then die because the whole system fails." The tree, with a girth of 20ft (6m), was a nationally significant pedunculate oak listed on the Woodland Trust's ancient tree inventory. News of the destruction of the oak came just days after a report from the charity Tree Council and environmental group Forest Research warned that trees were only indirectly protected, with some "significant legal gaps". Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to Why are ancient trees important and what protection do they have? Toby Carvery owner 'sorry' over ancient tree felling Felled Enfield oak 'had hundreds of years to live' Enfield Council
BBC News
21-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Enfield oak felling: 'A crime against 500-year-old being'
There was anger and sadness among people who turned out over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend to protest at the destruction of a tree in Enfield thought to be up to 500 years old."This is a crime against nature," said one campaigner. "It's a crime against a 500-year-old being." Hundreds of people gathered on Sunday to protest the felling of an ancient oak tree in Whitewebbs Park in north pedunculate oak, which was cut down on 3 April, was located on the edge of an Enfield council-owned park in north London and overlooked the Toby Carvery pub. The council leased the land on which the tree stood to the Toby Carvery. The felling of the tree was not discovered by the council until last week. On Wednesday, Enfield Council's leader branded the felling "an outrage" and said all legal options were being & Butlers, the owners of the Toby Carvery pub chain, said they cut down the tree after being told it was a statement, the company said it had received advice from contractors, who said "the split and dead wood posed a serious health and safety risk".They subsequently added in a later statement that it had taken "necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met".Thousands of people have signed a petition that has asked Enfield Council for an independent investigation into what were some of the reactions over the weekend to the felling of the tree. Independent tree consultation Russell Miller told BBC London: "We think this is one of probably less than 100 [trees] in London of this size, so it's a very significant loss."It is possible the tree will shoot, but the chances are the wounds on it are so big it will desiccate, as although the shoots will grow, they will then die because the whole system fails."The tree, with a girth of 20ft (6m), was a nationally significant pedunculate oak listed on the Woodland Trust's ancient tree of the destruction of the oak came just days after a report from the charity Tree Council and environmental group Forest Research warned that trees were only indirectly protected, with some "significant legal gaps".
Bloomberg
18-04-2025
- Bloomberg
Why Veteran Trees Deserve the Same Protection as Ancient Monuments
The offences you'd most expect at a Toby Carvery, a budget British chain restaurant, would be those against food. Bad reviews from the past six months highlight poor service, dry meat and lumpy gravy. But one of its sites in Enfield, north London, recently became the scene of a crime against nature. The owners of the eatery, Mitchells & Butlers, admitted to felling an ancient oak tree on the edge of Whitewebbs Park earlier this month. Enfield Council, which owns the land the tree stood on, referred the case to the Metropolitan Police, but the lack of a Tree Preservation Order on this ecological wonder makes it a civil, rather than criminal, matter. An order has now been placed on the remaining stump in the hope it will recover, and council leader Ergin Erbil says it will ' take appropriate legal action ' against the company for breaking the terms of the lease.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Restaurant chain faces outrage after carving up 500-year-old oak tree
A restaurant chain has apologized after sparking outrage when it cut down an oak tree in London that was believed to be up to 500 years old. Described by British conservation charity the Woodland Trust as 'one of London's largest and most significant ancient trees,' the huge oak was located outside a branch of Toby Carvery, a popular restaurant chain known for its roast dinners, in Whitewebbs Park in the borough of Enfield. The tree's remains, surrounded by its severed branches, were discovered by council workers on April 3. Enfield Council owns the land the tree was located on, and it is leased to Toby Carvery. The owner of Toby Carvery, Mitchells & Butlers, said the chain was advised by contractors to cut the tree as it 'caused a potential health and safety risk.' With a girth of 6.1 meters (20 feet), the tree ranked in the top 100 of London's 600,000 oak trees for size, according to the Woodland Trust. 'I am outraged that the leaseholder has cut down this beautiful ancient oak tree without seeking any permissions or advice from Enfield Council,' said Ergin Erbil, the leader of Enfield Council, in a statement Wednesday. 'We have evidence that this tree was alive and starting to grow new spring leaves when this action was taken.' He said the council believes the action has 'broken the terms of the lease which requires Toby Carvery to maintain and protect the existing landscape.' 'The tree was the oldest one on site and cutting it down seems to be a clear breach of this condition. This tree would have been home to countless wildlife, fungi, and pollinators. This tree is a part of our ecological and cultural heritage,' he added. The council said it is considering legal action. According to the council, when experts inspected the oak in December, it was deemed 'healthy' and 'posed no risk' to the neighboring carpark and its users. An emergency tree preservation order has been imposed on the base of the stump, the Woodland Trust said. A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers said in a statement to CNN that the felling of the tree was 'an important action to protect our employees and guests as well as the wider general public.' 'We took necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met,' it added. Phil Urban, the chain's CEO, later apologized for 'all the anger and upset that this incident has caused.' 'Clearly the felling of a beautiful old tree is a very emotive subject and is not something that any of us would undertake lightly,' said Urban in a letter addressing the incident. 'We cannot undo what has been done,' he said, adding: 'We need to tighten our protocols.' Benny Hawksbee, who lives in Enfield and is a member of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, said in the Woodland Trust statement that people want 'answers.' 'The tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage. I am devastated,' said Hawksbee. Jon Stokes, director of trees, science and research at the Tree Council, said in the trust's statement that ancient oaks can live up to 1,000 years. Despite the damage, council leader Erbil said the oak 'shows clear signs of life,' adding: 'We will also do everything we can to help the tree regrow.' The Metropolitan Police Service told CNN in a statement Thursday that it was treating the felling as a civil matter and has closed its investigation. This is not the first time that the felling of a tree has sparked outrage in the United Kingdom. Last year, a famous sycamore tree in northern England that featured in the 1991 blockbuster film 'Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves' was cut down in what authorities at the time labeled an 'act of vandalism.' Meanwhile, in 2021 there was a mysterious spate of tree felling in southern England that saw dozens cut down in the dead of night.
