Dead, diseased and decaying trees in council maintained woodland are so neglected they pose a risk to public safety, residents have warned.
Dozens of rotten trees and branches in the Carpenter's Wood have crashed to the ground in recent months, damaging property and even killing a beloved family pet.
Concerned home owners and walkers are urging Three Rivers District Council, which is responsible for the upkeep of the ancient woodland, to act before someone is killed or seriously injured.
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In January a large tree fell without warning and killed a family dog as it walked with its horrified owners. In March 2004 another large tree collapsed during high winds and crushed a garden shed.
Barbara Christie, who has lived in Carpenter's Wood Drive for more than 30 years, is lobbying the council to improve the management of its woodland before some areas become unmanageable.
But after years of correspondence she claims they have taken little or no notice. She is now calling for the responsibility for woodland upkeep to be passed to a third party.
She said: "Many residents are concerned about these trees coming down and destroying their properties.
"Since the council has maintained the woods they have got into a shocking state.
"They say they are spending money on them but it doesn't look like it to me.
"I walk my dog through the wood every day but it's getting to the point where it is not safe on windy days. The council has got so much money sloshing around but won't spend even part of it to fix this problem."
Other incidents of concern have seen trees, or pieces of trees, falling near to footpaths or private property - particularly on one footpath which runs parallel to the rear of properties on Whitelands Avenue.
Three Rivers District Council said it was happy with the condition of all their wooded areas, adding that maintenance plans met all national standards.
The council currently administers more than 240 hectares of woodland across 18 sites in partnership with the county council's countryside management agency.
It says plans are in place for ten years of improvements to woodland sites.
Spokesman Kevin Snow said: "In order to enhance woodland biodiversity it is necessary for us to retain an amount of deadwood within the woodland and that a proportion of this should be standing deadwood. This is important to sustain healthy insect populations and also to provide an important habitat for woodpeckers.
"This is standard practice and was recognised as part of our UK Woodland Assurance Standard accreditation."
County and district councillor Leonard Spencer, however, is demanding that immediate action be taken to remove rotten and damaged trees.
He said : "The council is on notice that there are dangerous trees in the area. God forbid but if somebody were killed we'd be on a charge of corporate manslaughter."
Posted by: Richard Rickmansworth, Rickmansworth on 11:05am Sat 22 Mar 08
I think cllr Spencer is scaremongering. I think you have got to be pretty stupid to walk in a woodland on a windy day anyway, when even a healthy tree has the potential to be blown over.
Can also state that all the roads in the area are death traps and his council is liable for corporate manslaughter the next time anyone is killed on them. Get Real
I think cllr Spencer is scaremongering. I think you have got to be pretty stupid to walk in a woodland on a windy day anyway, when even a healthy tree has the potential to be blown over.
Can also state that all the roads in the area are death traps and his council is liable for corporate manslaughter the next time anyone is killed on them. Get Real
Posted by: Arthur, Garston on 11:30am Sat 22 Mar 08
According to the article: "The council currently administers more than 240 hectares of woodland across 18 sites in partnership with the county council's countryside management agency."
Surely in view of the fact that Mr Spencer is a member of the controlling group on Hertfordshire County Council would it not be more staight forward of him to broach this issue through the official channels available to him rather than this publicity seeking spin in the Watford Observer?
According to the article: "The council currently administers more than 240 hectares of woodland across 18 sites in partnership with the county council's countryside management agency."
Surely in view of the fact that Mr Spencer is a member of the controlling group on Hertfordshire County Council would it not be more staight forward of him to broach this issue through the official channels available to him rather than this publicity seeking spin in the Watford Observer?
Posted by: Speedy Dog, Aquadrome on 10:59am Mon 24 Mar 08
Spencer is just another Tory Tosser, anything to make a headline. Got caught out last time about Chorleywood Telecoms Mast, when he said it was down to TRivers, when it was his mob who originally sanctioned it. Keep it up Leonard, give everyone a laugh.
Spencer is just another Tory Tosser, anything to make a headline. Got caught out last time about Chorleywood Telecoms Mast, when he said it was down to TRivers, when it was his mob who originally sanctioned it. Keep it up Leonard, give everyone a laugh.
Can the Tories do nothing but winge? The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) say "[italic]Each year between 5 and 6 people in the UK are killed when trees fall on them. Thus the risk of being struck and killed by a tree falling is extremely low. Around 3 people are killed each year by trees in public spaces; but as almost the entire population of the UK is exposed, the risk per person is about one in 20 million. The risk, per tree, of causing fatality is of the order of one in 150 million for all trees in Britain."[/italic]
If the council are looking after the trees to the right standard, than even if a tree should fall, the council will not be deemed negligent.
All this 'corporate manslaughter' stuff is just typical scaremongering from people who couldn't run a council if they tried!!!
Can the Tories do nothing but winge? The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) say "Each year between 5 and 6 people in the UK are killed when trees fall on them. Thus the risk of being struck and killed by a tree falling is extremely low. Around 3 people are killed each year by trees in public spaces; but as almost the entire population of the UK is exposed, the risk per person is about one in 20 million. The risk, per tree, of causing fatality is of the order of one in 150 million for all trees in Britain."
If the council are looking after the trees to the right standard, than even if a tree should fall, the council will not be deemed negligent.
All this 'corporate manslaughter' stuff is just typical scaremongering from people who couldn't run a council if they tried!!!
Posted by: Spencer Agneau, Sarratt on 8:29pm Tue 25 Mar 08
[quote][bold]louis[/bold] wrote:
Can the Tories do nothing but winge? The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) say "[italic]Each year between 5 and 6 people in the UK are killed when trees fall on them. Thus the risk of being struck and killed by a tree falling is extremely low. Around 3 people are killed each year by trees in public spaces; but as almost the entire population of the UK is exposed, the risk per person is about one in 20 million. The risk, per tree, of causing fatality is of the order of one in 150 million for all trees in Britain."[/italic]
If the council are looking after the trees to the right standard, than even if a tree should fall, the council will not be deemed negligent.
All this 'corporate manslaughter' stuff is just typical scaremongering from people who couldn't run a council if they tried!!!
[/quote] Spot on Louis
louis wrote:
Can the Tories do nothing but winge? The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) say "Each year between 5 and 6 people in the UK are killed when trees fall on them. Thus the risk of being struck and killed by a tree falling is extremely low. Around 3 people are killed each year by trees in public spaces; but as almost the entire population of the UK is exposed, the risk per person is about one in 20 million. The risk, per tree, of causing fatality is of the order of one in 150 million for all trees in Britain."
If the council are looking after the trees to the right standard, than even if a tree should fall, the council will not be deemed negligent.
All this 'corporate manslaughter' stuff is just typical scaremongering from people who couldn't run a council if they tried!!!
Or to put it another way, a resident of Hertfordshire will be killed once every 20 years by a tree. In the same period of time, almost a thousand people will be killed on Hertfordshire's roads.
The person being killed by the tree might even be killed by a highways tree.
As a contribution to safety, it probably would be better if we closed all the roads, rather than cut down the trees!
Mr Spencer is the sort of risk-adverse twit who wants to flatten headstones and cut down trees just in case. Just living is a risk - but it's worth it!
Or to put it another way, a resident of Hertfordshire will be killed once every 20 years by a tree. In the same period of time, almost a thousand people will be killed on Hertfordshire's roads.
The person being killed by the tree might even be killed by a highways tree.
As a contribution to safety, it probably would be better if we closed all the roads, rather than cut down the trees!
Mr Spencer is the sort of risk-adverse twit who wants to flatten headstones and cut down trees just in case. Just living is a risk - but it's worth it!
Posted by: John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon (formerly Oxhey Village) on 8:38pm Sat 29 Mar 08
I agree that rotten and damaged trees should be removed. However, I would expect the council to use the opportunity to replace them with fresh young planting.
I agree that rotten and damaged trees should be removed. However, I would expect the council to use the opportunity to replace them with fresh young planting.
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