Residents call for Southwell Town Council to ‘pause the saws’ on tree works in Ash Tree Spinney during nesting season
Residents gathered at a green space this morning (Tuesday), calling for a council to delay tree works until the nesting season is over.
Southwell residents, including members of Green Southwell and people living ajacent to the woodland, staged a protest at Ash Tree Spinney.
Co-founder of Green Southwell, Liz Laine, said: “It’s less stop the chop and more pause the saws.
“We want a proper plan for the future of the spinney.”
Helen Dunne, a resident and member of Green Southwell, explained that a notice of a footpath closure for tree works had been put up by the council last Friday, alerting the residents to the plans, which would see tree works carried out in the height of nesting season.
The small woodland borders Hillcrest, Chatsworth Avenue and Ash Tree Close, and is believed to be home to a number of birds and even bats.
Birds are protected under the Wildlife and Country Act.
The trees of concern include two dying trees overhanging a neigbouring property, and one with dead limbs overhanging an unofficial footpath through the site.
Helen said: “We have come down first and foremost to ensure no laws are broken and to protect the area.
“We are not against the tree works, but the timing of it is what we are particularly concerned about. We want it to be reviewed for work to be carried out in September, which is the safest time of the year.”
She, along with two councillors, previously invited Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to the spinney to give a second opinion to the surveys contracted by the council, and she said the trust’s verdict on the trees and how they would deal with them on their land was substantially different to the original commissioned report.
“I would like to see that report taken into account,” she added.
Liz said: “We’ve been raising concerns since earlier in the year about the ongoing tree works. Coming into May with work planned in a small woodland with nesting birds — it is against RSPB advice, and potentially against the law.”
Resident and Green Southwell member Lynn Preece explained distrubance to the nesting birds, even from works to surrounding trees rather than the trees they are nesting in, could cause them to flee and abandon their eggs.
It would also have a negative impact on mammals and invertebrates in the area.
She added: “These are Ash trees, already weakened by Ash Dieback. In my opinion, to pollard poorly trees at the beginning of summer is a death sentence.
“There’s a lot of misinformation, the whole process has been very confusing. If the notice didn’t go up the chainsaws would be going now and we wouldn’t be here.”
The spinney has had a lot of work done recently by volunteers, who have worked to bring what was once a dumping ground of flytipped waste back to a haven for nature.
They have built dead hedges and planted spring bulbs among other projects.
Lynn added: “The last thing we want is to feel our efforts are in vain.”
A number of councillors atteneded the protest and spoke with residents about the plans.
Chairman Martin Stott said: “The position of the council is we have to balance public safety with the requirements of the Wildlife and Country Act.
“We will not break the law — but we need to maintain public safety and there are some risks here the council needs to take into account. We are taking profesional advice.
“It is too late in the season to do all the work required and it will be done in the off-season. Our main concern is residents, and the overhead tree which is dying.”
A tree surgeon, Martin and the clerk spoke with the resident and visited the property to determine the risk of the tree from their perspective.
Any work deemed urgent and needing to be carried out immediately will only include the removal of dead wood posong a risk to public safety — however an overall decision has yet to be made on the severity of the risk they pose.
Peter Harris, chairman of the governance and finace committee which manages risk, said: “I am opposed to this. The council took the decision months ago and is now in a difficult position as the decision was made before nesting season.
“My opinion is the risk is so low it should be delayed.”
Alan Monk, whose home borders the site, is among the team of volunteers working on the spinney and attended the protest.
He said: “This is a fantastic resource for the local community and the wildlife in the area.
“We want to ensure there is a proper plan for the site going forward.”
