Acorns on the pavement

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by Palustris, Oct 17, 2022.

  1. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    So who is responsible for cleaning the pavement when the acorns fall from a tree in a garden? Not allowed to prune the tree as it has a T.P.O. on it.
     
  2. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    That's a tricky one, my guess is the owner. What if someone skidded and injured themselves on them? It's like a branch falling and hurting someone the owner would be liable. That said if there is no safety hazard then it should be the council. Around here they use mechanical sweepers to clear sycamore leaves in the roadside gutters. I suspect it's also something to do with keeping drains clear.
     
  3. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    It certainly is a tricky one. I don't know the answer, was trying to help a neighbour who asked.The same answer would apply to leaves as well.
    Branches would be a different thing though.
     
  4. Jocko

    Jocko Guided by my better half.

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    I think leaves are an obvious hazard and anyone falling on them is liable themselves. Acorns are another matter. It is like the argument about clearing snow. If snow is left it is obvious but if poorly cleared and icy there may be a claim for negligence.
    Plus, with leaves, they could have come from anywhere. Unless you are in an oak wood acorns are pretty specific to the neighbour's oak tree.
     
  5. pete

    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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    It's a bit like the conkers falling onto cars and causing dents.

    I'd say it's down to the individual, I certainly hope we haven't got to the stage where people are getting sued over a purely natural annual event.
     
  6. Palustris

    Palustris Total Gardener

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    It is whether there is a legal difference between fruit (acorns, beech nuts etc. ) and leaves.
     
  7. JWK

    JWK Gardener Staff Member

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    We get plenty of beech nuts around here to the extent of piling up at the side of the road. They aren't a problem like conkers. The worst thing about conker trees down our road is kids throwing sticks up to knock them down. It's very messy and I'm glad we don't have one near us.

    I doubt there is any legal difference between acorns and leaves. What about that awful sap that drops from sycamores and destroys car paint.
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      Its crab apples in my road, everywhere.
       
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      • CanadianLori

        CanadianLori Total Gardener

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        Your squirrels over there must be really lazy louts! I usually have some crabapples to roller up from the lawn but this year there is not one. There are very few cones left on trees and zero acorns on the oaks.

        Over here, if it drops on your property, it's yours to dispose of. That is unless it's something like a giant tree branch breaking off a tree on the town's property. Their land runs about 8 feet in from the sidewalks or if no sidewalk, the kerb.

        I think all of the mad dash to harvest everything may prove our furry friends know something about the coming winter that the guessers haven't forecast :scratch:
         
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        • Jocko

          Jocko Guided by my better half.

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          We don't have any squirrels around here, not even grey ones.
           
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          • pete

            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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            I've got two.
            It was one until early this year, but until a couple of years ago there was none.
            They bury the peanuts from the bird feeder in my pots, get peanuts growing in them in the summer.

            The local park is full of squirrels though.
             
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            • Sheal

              Sheal Total Gardener

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              No acorns but I have a Beech tree full of nuts a red squirrel and a pine marten that visit but they don't seem to have touched them.
               
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