Concern Over 'Healthy' Ealing Trees Being Felled

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Queries over the loss of mature tree on Uxbridge Road

Stump of felled tree on Uxbridge Road

Residents have expressed concerns after an apparently healthy mature tree was cut down on the Uxbridge Road.

When the tree outside the Children’s Centre was felled, locals said they could see no evidence of root disease on the stump

However, an Ealing Council spokesperson said: “The tree was surveyed earlier this year and it was found to have the fungal disease inonotus hispidus. This affects the crown of the tree, rotting branches until they eventually break. It also was found to have the disease kretzschmaria deusta which is an extremely aggressive decay pathogen that was found at the trunk of the tree. This fungus will rot the trunk weakening the tree until it eventually snaps.

“With the tree located in close proximity to the school and busy road, the decision was taken to fell the tree. The location is on the planting list for the next planting season.”

Residents are also querying the council’s overall tree policy, claiming that another mature tree which stands outside the former Peugeot site is to be chopped as part of the planning permission for the site. One resident said: ‘’Clearly where developers are concerned their plans are more important than valuable street trees.’’

We are awaiting further comment from Ealing Council.

June 4, 2019