Islington Tribune - News: Chainsaw massacre

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 27 July 2007

Kate Carroll with neighbour Kerry and her daughter Natalia, aged three

‘Chainsaw massacre’ as trees are hit by cutbacks

DISTINCTIVE street trees in Highbury have been cut back so severely by contractors that residents described the results as “like a chainsaw massacre.”
The seven mature lime and one pear tree in Stavordale Road, close to the Emirates stadium, will now look like “tombstones” for a large part of the year, according to angry residents.
They are also incensed that tree surgeons appointed by Islington Council tend to carry out the annual pruning in early July, instead of between November and February when trees are dormant. This means those living in the area only ever get to see the trees in full leaf for two or three months.
Kate Carrol, who is registered disabled, described her shock after seeing the work of contractors who had cut back the trees outside her home.
“I understand they are meant to be cutting back 30 per cent of our trees”, she said, “but it was more like 60 per cent. They’d been pruned back to the bark.”
She claims that there was no consultation with residents before the work began on July 9.
She added: “We’ll be lucky to get leaves back on the branches now by next March-April, which will give us just three months of bloom before they chop them back again.”
Ms Carrol suffers from a skin condition, Systemic Lupus, which means she cannot be exposed to excessive sunlight.
She asaid: “The pear tree outside my window gave me perfect shade until they cut it back so dramatically that even the birds don’t come and sit in the branches anymore.”
Cllr Ruth Polling, Executive Member for Leisure and Equalities at Islington Council, said: “It is great that so many people care about their trees in Islington and that is why we have increased their numbers at a time when other boroughs’ tree stocks are dwindling.
“However, trees need to be maintained and Islington’s tree service works year-round maintaining the borough’s 40,000 trees and following the recommended management practice of the London Tree Officers Association for street trees.
“As limes are fast-growing trees we need to prune them back. They might look bald now, but there’ll be new growth on these trees by the end of the summer.”

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