Writing Tree Survey Reports for this site, took just over 1 week.
Noting every little detail about every tree that would be affected.
Out of 37 trees, (including small copses,) because of the nature of the site, 33 would have to be felled. Some folk say that this is a natural woodland, but professionaly speaking, it has just been left to go into ruin. Mutilation of trees, including cuts and being set on fire, have left them hazardous. The 37 reported on, are just in the lower part of the woodland, whereas, a further 200 will require another report.
This site, is indeed private property, which has had public access for many years, as a short cut, purely because, no maintenence was ever carried out over a fifty year span. The land was given to a charity on the wishes of the owner on her death, to do something with. The new land owners now wish to develope houses to be sold and raise money for the charity. Which means, trees that would be deemed natural, would infact be classified as hazardous in the public domain.
The owners, under Law, would have to have work done to them in order to make them safe, felling, pruning, limbing, dead-wooding etc. To keep out the public, would mean that a boundry wall or fence would have to be errected, again, to keep the public safe.
The trees that I have condemed are to be removed, but the powers that be, say there is nothing wrong with the trees, in a woodland. That is ok, but, "Will you put that in writing?" answer, "No!".
So, do we keep it as a natural woodland for the benefit of the trees and let the public carry on walking their dogs, or do we have a managed area, where the trees, wildlife and people can live.