Tree going to fall

I was at the local park today, when I saw a massive great mature Willow tree trying to fall onto the path that I and my family were on. It is held up by the wooden fence it has fallen against, but that fence has buckled and fractured under the strain.

You can see that's quite a sturdy fence, but still its no match for the tree its currently supporting, hence why its buckled and fractured. A bit more wind and rain that fence is gone, then the tree will be on its own. As its already clearly going over, its going to go sooner or later.

I've emailed the council, and included these photos. Lets hope they send someone to have a look before someone gets hurt.

 

It's obviously moved in the recent winds Clueless, the crack in the fence looks fresh.

 

I would not liked to have walked under that

Jack McH

 

Me neither. In fact in today's wander round the park, there was my mam, my wife, my two sons and me. I was sort of at the back of the group. We all walked under it, and it was I that noticed it, while under it. You can tell from the angle of the pics that I got clear of it before pausing to take photos.

If you look carefully, visible in both pics but probably more clear in the first one, follow the edge of the lake a bit further up the pic, and you can see another mature willow has already gone over, but luckily going the other way, into the lake as opposed to onto the path. I think that demonstrates that the trees have taken a pounding, and that the ground is clearly loose enough to let them go. Another tree has bust through the brick wall at the perimeter of the park, but that one is known about and cordoned off.

 

Estimating the size/weight of that tree from the adjacent timber knee rail (normally 75 x 75mm rail set in birdsmouths on 100 x 100m posts), I reckon it weighs over 2 tonnes and would snap that fencing rail like a matchstick if it wanted to either fall or just lean a bit more.

 

I think if you take the rail out the tree will fall over

 

My neighbour would have seen it as a beautiful thing. He has a log burner.

 

That fence has been there since I was little and that tree was much smaller. Although its been repaired a few times in the intervening years. Its not there to hold the tree up. As far as I can tell its to discourage people from falling into the lake.

The tree must still be supporting itself to some degree, as there's no way that fence alone would hold it. But it is clear that the tree has moved significantly because it was well clear of the fence last time I went past before the storms, and its clear that the fence has put up some resistance and is supporting some of the weight, otherwise it wouldn't be buckled and fractured like it is.

Since the government decided to continue taking our taxes while at the same time withdrawing the services that those taxes are meant to pay for, nobody looks after the park now except for a small bunch of volunteers, who do their best, but they are small in number and in any case don't have the authority to do anything more than plant and look after the few flowers in there. Its such a shame because it used to be such a well maintained park. I remember as a kid deliberately riding my bike past the park keeper just to get a chase. No point now, there is no park keeper.

 

Well spotted Clueless - lets hope the council act on it before anyone gets hurt.

 

Also not good if you've got an expensive carpet next to an open fire.

 

Now this is what you call a tree with a serious lean

 

I got an acknowledgement from the council. They basically thanked me for telling them but said they already knew about it, and their arborist has already marked it to be cut down.

Its funny that, because if their arborist had already seen it and condemned it, I'd have thought they might have closed that section of the footpath until it was made safe, but fair enough. Whether they already knew or not, they know now.