Latest news with #subsidence
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Campaigners fight to save 120-year-old tree from ‘irrational' local council
Campaigners are fighting to save a 120-year-old London Plane tree which the local council is threatening to bring down after a lengthy legal battle. Haringey Council in North London has said the tree on Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, must be removed because it has caused damage to properties nearby. A notification on the felling from the council said 'the tree has contributed to tree root damage to the adjacent properties. Pruning was unsuccessful, and movement of the properties has continued'. Residents now have until 17 June to respond to the notice. Annette Elder, solicitor and member of Haringey Tree Protectors, said the decision from the council was 'completely irrational'. 'Mature trees like the Oakfield plane are vital in urban areas—for cooling, biodiversity, air quality, and residents' wellbeing,' she told The Independent. 'It makes no sense to remove them without robust evidence that they are causing active harm.' The council said the trees have caused subsidence in nearby properties. Subsidence occurs when the foundations of a home become unbalanced due to the ground sinking. This can move walls and floors from their original groundwork and cause severe damage. Trees can cause subsidence when its roots grow into clay soil and take up enough moisture, which causes the soil to dry out and shrink. Ms Elder told The Independent claimed that the owners of the two houses affected by the subsidence have reached agreements with their insurance companies to pay for repairs on the house, so there was no need to fell the trees. 'There's no clear evidence that the tree poses a real or immediate threat—especially once underpinning takes place,' Ms Elder added. 'Even Haringey's own Tree and Woodland Plan states that trees should not be removed or pruned solely because of a potential or perceived future subsidence risk. 'We believe this is a completely irrational decision. 'If you follow this logic, almost every street tree in the area could be considered a risk. Are we going to fell them all?' Ms Elder said there are reportedly around 200 active insurance claims in the borough relating to potential tree-related subsidence. 'Subsidence is a wider issue—climate change, increased heat, and flooding all contribute to greater soil movement, particularly in clay areas,' she said. 'It's precisely because of climate change that councils, including Haringey, have pledged to increase canopy cover.' A Haringey Council spokesperson said: 'We are currently consulting on a proposal to remove the tree. 'The court ruled in 2024 that a previous decision by the council to remove the tree was lawful and has refused permission to bring an appeal against this. We are undertaking a further consultation in view of new statutory requirements that have come into force since that decision. 'Our proposal is based on consideration of the evidence submitted on behalf of the owners of the properties. 'We will carefully consider all the feedback we receive, including any new information or changes of circumstances, before coming to a final decision on the future of the tree.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Stroud Green plane tree faces axe again over root damage claims
A 120-year-old plane tree in north London, which has been under threat of being felled for the past three years, is once again facing the axe. Haringey Council says the tree on Oakfield Road, Stroud Green, needs to be removed as it is causing damage to nearby properties. The council has given residents until 17 June to respond to its Gio Iozzi, who is among those fighting to save it, said: "It feels like the tree is still the fall guy in this situation and it is just morally, ethically, environmentally wrong.""This healthy tree has been implicated in damage... it has been blamed for all the other factors that contribute to subsidence in houses," she added. She told BBC London that insurers had recently agreed to finally pay for the work on the two houses affected by subsidence, meaning there was "no need to fell this tree".Dr Iozzi added: "There is no rationale now for the council to want to fell the tree and yet they're intending to push forwards with felling this tree."We feel like this is madness, we need these big canopy trees they are so important for our health, our lungs." In its consultation, the council said the tree had "contributed to tree root damage to the adjacent properties, pruning was unsuccessful, and movement of the properties has continued".But environmental campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors told the Local Democracy Reporting Service these claims were unsubstantiated. It has urged people to send in their views so the council can "understand how the public feel about protecting their mature street trees".Dr Iozzi said poor foundations, clay soil movement, droughts or floods could also be contributing to issues with the homes' foundations and she believed there was not enough evidence to support the tree's removal."Trees should not be felled just in case there is the potential of damage to houses in the future," she said."If this logic is followed, all trees in Haringey would need to be felled just in case." Local resident Andrew Brenner, who lives opposite the tree, told BBC London: "If you take down a tree on the off-chance that it's going to cause a problem in the future, that could lead to every single tree on every tree-lined street in London being taken out."I think it's a real risk that we're going to lose lots of trees for no reason except that it's to prevent some future possible problem."A Haringey Council spokesperson said it was undertaking the latest consultation in view of new statutory requirements that had come into force."Our proposal is based on consideration of the evidence submitted on behalf of the owners of the properties," the spokesperson said the council would consider all feedback before making a final decision.
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
American Cities Are Sinking
We've taken water for granted, and because of this, our cities are sinking. The overuse of groundwater leads to the depletion of aquifers, the emptied earth leading to compaction. When we add weight to the surface by building sprawling metropolises, the earth's surface will sink. This phenomena, subsidence, is actively happening across every major American city. Of the 28 cities recently studied, on average 20% of each is slowly sinking. There are differences between different cities, and within them, but the consistent finding is that our most populated American urban areas are sinking. This increases the risk of flooding and infrastructure damage, with Houston having the most exposed area and New York having the highest at-risk population. Vertical Land Motion measures the amount of subsidence or uplift. If part of the city sinks or rises a few millimeters each year, it's not just this change in depth that may hurt a building. If one side is sinking and the other doesn't, this will weaken the building and put people in danger. Less than one percent of the buildings surveyed were said to be in danger, which leaves 29,000 buildings as high risk or very high risk. Not all incidences of subsidence or uplift are directly attributable solely to groundwater overextraction, but in confined aquifers there was a significant correlation. If we don't want our cities to sink, or for us to run out of groundwater, we should immediately address the causes of aquifer depletion. Our demand exceeds supply, which is to say that if we continue to use more water, which we will, then we need to do so more efficiently. Irrigation, industry, and power generation account for the majority of water use in America so we'll need high level change. Personally choosing to use less water is a nice start, but grander actions will be needed to effectively address the interrelated issues that drive the overuse of water. Turning off the tap while you brush your teeth is sweet, but ultimately futile. We'll have 10 billion people by 2050 with 55% more water consumption than today. Why is this happening? Populations have increased. More people need more water to drink and food to eat, which requires water to grow. Agriculture, Industry and our need for electricity account for most of our water use, with outdated methods and poor governance that haven't adapted to the changing world. Destroying forests in one part of the world affects other regions. Destroying Forests Destroys the Source of Water The best strategy to save water access is to stop deforestation. If we cut down the forests then we destroy the source of rainfall, destabilize the air currents, and affect the climate of the wider region. Without forests to serve this regulatory function, we'd instead have droughts and floods over hardpack, lifeless earth. In the absence of the tree roots, there is nothing to guide the rainfall down into the aquifers. Destroying forests creates deserts, sandstorms, dry riverbeds and arid croplands. Deforestation isn't a local problem. We live in an interconnected world with a global hydrological cycle; clear-cutting densely canopied forests in one part of the world will affect another. The Tropical Belt is under the most serious threat. Irrigation and Agriculture For growing crops, drip irrigation is the way to go. Flood irrigation is still used in some places, and continues to be proven inefficient when compared with modern techniques. Drip irrigation reduces water use significantly with estimates ranging from 20-60%, as the water goes directly to the plants' root systems rather than saturating a whole field. In California's agricultural regions, policies are such that if a farmer doesn't use all of their allotment, they might lose it next year. This compels unnecessary, wasteful use. Reforming laws like these would save large quantities of water. Given that we live in modern times of remote sensing, and that you can't stop hearing about AI, let's put it to good use. Newer irrigation systems consist of sensors to monitor soil moisture content, and smart controllers to release water as needed. Technology can help us address our modern issues if we embrace innovation. Agrivoltaics and Floatovoltaics The practice of installing solar panels over crops has seen global success. France just announced their era of 'Agrivoltaics 2.0'. They've adopted Agrivoltaics as national policy; with 52% of French land classified as agricultural, they've approved plans to add 2 GW of Agrivoltaic solar per year, by 2026. Goji Berries in China, grape growers in France, and herders in America, have seen at the least comparable results with this method. Floating solar panels on reservoirs or installing them over canals saves land and makes the panels operate more efficiently. The solar panels are cooled by the evaporating water (same as in Agrivoltaics), and the solar panels reduce the water lost to evaporation. For hydropower dams, there are further benefits beyond reducing water loss by up to 90%. On a sunny day we can use the solar panels to generate electricity, which saves the need for hydropower. This saves water while still generating electricity. As they already have the infrastructure to transmit electricity, we can take advantage of the existing transmission wires, and save the cost of building all that out again. (picture) From supplying electricity to fish farms to potentially powering submerged data centers, floating solar has investment potential. Deloitte are among the Westerners to have endorsed Floatovoltaics (floating solar panels), releasing this report in 2021 recognizing the approach as commercially viable. Asia has already been on this, and several nations are currently operating or constructing giga-watt scale floating solar farms. Americans have reservoirs and water that we'd like to conserve, we could do this too. Why wait? Herders in the Sahel are clashing with farmers. The herders follow the changing rain patterns, which brings them into conflict with the sedentary farmers. Mexican farmers seized a dam to protest the water that was being sent to America under outdated treaty obligations. California has set a good example with massive fines for water theft, but our global problem will require broad action. The need to address the problem of water scarcity grows every year, as temperatures and populations increase, and exacerbate societal tensions. Our limited time, and water, are dwindling.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Stanford-le-Hope oak tree decision delayed by Thurrock Council
The future of an ancient oak tree hangs in the balance after councillors deferred a decision to fell 16ft (18m) tree, which is more than 100 years old, was said to be the cause of subsidence at several properties in Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, according to an despite damage caused to his home, nearby resident Rob Selwyn was among those urging Thurrock Council to spare it the local authority's planning committee chose to delay a final decision on Thursday, saying it wanted more evidence before swinging the axe. Rooted in the grounds of a listed building on South Hill, the tree is protected by a preservation an engineer's report found it was causing "severe damage" to properties in Saffron Close, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Mr Selwyn said he preferred lopping the tree and installing a barrier over felling 77-year-old's comments came despite cracks appearing both inside and outside his home."I don't want to see it cut down," he said. "If it's lopped, that would take back the branches and curb its growth."A metal barrier placed between my home and the roots of the tree would also help." The tree survived a previous bid to fell it eight years ago over concerns about Council's planning committee was told that if it did not act this time round, it could be liable for any Conservative ward councillor Barry Johnson said evidence of damage caused by the tree was not a "proven fact".More than 15 objections were also made against the tree's Beaumont, who lives nearby, said the tree was a "landmark for the village"."When you're driving down from the flyover, you know you're home because you can see it, " she said. Her concerns were echoed by Gary Collins, landlord of The Bell pub, who said the village would be lost without added: "There must be another way of solving the problem." In a report made by the council's planning officers, the tree was deemed a "fine specimen that provided a "high level of amenity in the village".However, the report concluded it must be axed."In normal circumstances, its removal would not be permitted," the author wrote."However, it is considered that it is likely that the tree is a contributory factor to the subsidence occurring at the property, and therefore its removal is justified."Planning committee councillors did not follow the recommendations and voted to delay the decision to get more evidence. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Gizmodo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
All 28 of the U.S.'s Largest Cities Are Sinking, Study Finds
America's biggest cities are slowly sinking—and not just the ones near the ocean, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Cities. The satellite-based study shows that all 28 U.S. cities with over 600,000 people are subsiding, putting infrastructure in fast-growing urban areas increasingly at risk. Researchers used satellite data to investigate the vertical land movements in large U.S. cities, finding that all of them are sinking to some extent. Groundwater extraction seems to be the most common culprit, and its impact on land movement has direct implications for the infrastructure in the country's most populated neighborhoods. 'As cities continue to grow, we will see more cities expand into subsiding regions,' Leonard Ohenhen, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia Climate School's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said in a university statement. 'Over time, this subsidence can produce stresses on infrastructure that will go past their safety limit.' Ohenhen and his colleagues used recent satellite data to map vertical land movement in the U.S.'s most populated cities, analyzing it in systematic 90-square-foot (28-square-meter) grids. While many people have heard that large coastal cities such as New Orleans are sinking, the study reveals that even municipalities far inland—including Denver, Oklahoma City, and Fort Worth—are subsiding. Overall, the results show that in 25 of the 28 cities analyzed, at least two-thirds of the land is sinking. Houston is the fastest sinking metropolis, with over 40% of its land dropping more than 0.20 inches (5 millimeters) every year—and 12% subsiding at twice that speed. Cities including New York, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and San Francisco also have relatively small but fast-sinking zones. This contributes to differential motion: regions sinking at different speeds, or some regions subsiding while others uplift. This uneven movement can endanger infrastructure by causing buildings to tilt. While only around 1% of the documented areas are experiencing strong enough differential motion to impact infrastructure, these regions tend to be the most urbanized, accounting for around 29,000 buildings. According to the study, one in 45 buildings in San Antonio are at high risk, as are one in 71 in Austin, one in 143 in Fort Worth, and one in 167 in Memphis. An even more detailed study would be needed to assess the specific risk for individual buildings, Ohenhen said in the statement. 'Unlike flood-related subsidence hazards, where risks manifest only when high rates of subsidence lower the land elevation below a critical threshold, subsidence-induced infrastructure damage can occur even with minor changes in land motion,' the authors wrote in the study. Nevertheless, sinking land is generally more vulnerable to floods. By analyzing groundwater extraction alongside vertical land movements, the researchers determined that this activity is responsible for 80% of the documented subsiding. That's because when humans remove water from aquifers—layers of porous rock that hold groundwater—the pores can collapse, lowering the land surface above it. The researchers argue that this phenomenon will only worsen in some areas because of elements such as population growth (meaning increasing water needs) and climate-driven droughts. There are also other forces at play, however. Some sinking areas are still recovering from the bulging caused by long-gone ice age glaciers in North America's interior. The monumental weight of buildings might also impact some cities' land movement (cough cough, New York). Ultimately, the researchers hope their study will inspire a push for mitigation efforts, which could include land raising, building retrofitting, and updated construction codes. 'As opposed to just saying it's a problem, we can respond, address, mitigate, adapt,' Ohenhen concluded. 'We have to move to solutions.'
