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Council tree felling...

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2 minutes ago, dave_the_m said:

For a long time. The mature trees don't grow nearly as fast as saplings, and once the ground above the root has been uncompacted a bit (e.g. with a bit of sand), there is enough "give" for the root to grow further without cracking the tarmac above.

Doesn't "uncompacting" work both ways - ie if their is "give" for the root to grow then there is also more chance of the tarmac being pressed downwards with the "give" below.

 

And "a long time" is no real sort of measure.

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1 hour ago, Longcol said:

But how many in a city with 4.5 million trees does it take to have any noticeable environmental impact?

For how long - assuming the tree, and therefore the roots, continues to grow.

Why are you still seemingly trying to justify the unnecessary removal of healthy trees? That argument has thankfully already been lost, and the council forced to admit they were wrong and apologise. Felling was never a ‘last resort’, but a mechanism through which Amey could increase their profits. 
 

To answer your question directly - it depends what you mean by ‘noticeable environmental impact’. If you mean the total of amount of Co2 sequestration, then even felling 100% of street trees would have a negligible impact.
 

If you measure it by the reduction in airborne particulate matter on certain roads, or the cooling effect on hot days, then the loss of street trees would cause a much greater impact. 

If you’re talking about the loss of the habitat of the rare white lesser hairstreak, then the loss of a single tree would have a noticeable impact. 

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11 hours ago, Longcol said:

Doesn't "uncompacting" work both ways - ie if their is "give" for the root to grow then there is also more chance of the tarmac being pressed downwards with the "give" below.

 

And "a long time" is no real sort of measure.

By "long time" I mean decades. Another way of looking at it is that, supposing that mature tree roots do indeed grow and damage the tarmac over time, why wouldn't the replacement saplings also damage the tarmac as they grow into full-sized trees? So replacing the trees with saplings doesn't protect the pavement.

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4 hours ago, dave_the_m said:

By "long time" I mean decades. Another way of looking at it is that, supposing that mature tree roots do indeed grow and damage the tarmac over time, why wouldn't the replacement saplings also damage the tarmac as they grow into full-sized trees? So replacing the trees with saplings doesn't protect the pavement.

It depends if they prepare and reinforce under the pavement first, or place 'root blockers' so they can only go down, and not straight out across the pavement...

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On 17/10/2020 at 13:43, melv said:

Take a walk down Meersbrook Park Road and you'll find at least 3 trees that need felling. The roots of these trees have raised the pavement to a dangerous level. Anyone with a mobility or eyesight problem, or a parent with a double buggy have difficulty negotiating the area, they have to go on the road.

I think a broken hip or leg has a bigger environmental impact than a tree that obviously needs removing.

I took a walk down Meersbrook Park Road today. The problems (which I admit were pretty dire) have been solved without the need for any  tree removal.

On 17/10/2020 at 15:19, dave_the_m said:

Roots are the most common misconception about Sheffield street trees. When people see a raised/cracked pavement tarmac, they assume the roots are at or above surface level. In fact, the roots are usually 6" or more below the surface level and what you are seeing is in fact layer upon layer of tarmac built-up over the decades of repeated temporary repairs to cracked tarmac.

 

When Amey finally remove all the tarmac, they've found that sometimes the layers are  foot thick. Uncompacting the soil above the root and putting down new tarmac usually results in a smooth, level pavement. This has turned out to be the case for nearly every tree which Amey wanted to fell because it was "damaging" the pavement. You'll find exactly the same once MPR's pavements are repaired and resurfaced.

Spot on, Dave. The bulging pavements adjacent to trees in Meersbrook Park Road have been shaved down, the roots boxed in and the pavements levelled. If this had been done from the start, it could have prevented all the confrontation and delay. The tenacity and dedication of the local people has paid off and is to be admired.

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   After the damage and injury caused today by a 'protected' tree on private land today it is necessary to re evaluate the effect of Green policies on our safety. As a direct result of the protests and publicity there will be more trees that pose a threat.

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2 minutes ago, Annie Bynnol said:

   After the damage and injury caused today by a 'protected' tree on private land today it is necessary to re evaluate the effect of Green policies on our safety. As a direct result of the protests and publicity there will be more trees that pose a threat.

Any tree that poses a real threat to public safety should be removed. Not to do so is negligent in my opinion.

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15 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

Any tree that poses a real threat to public safety should be removed. Not to do so is negligent in my opinion.

But but but house prices! Rustlings Road! Hippies!

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46 minutes ago, The_DADDY said:

Any tree that poses a real threat to public safety should be removed. Not to do so is negligent in my opinion.

      Agree. This tree was in a designate tree protection zone on private land, unlike Rustlings Road which were council owned and insured roadside trees. These trees are enormous and well past their chop down date.

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20 minutes ago, Annie Bynnol said:

      Agree. This tree was in a designate tree protection zone on private land, unlike Rustlings Road which were council owned and insured roadside trees. These trees are enormous and well past their chop down date.

I didnt know those details so thanks for that 👍

I agree entirely with a tree protection zone as most people probably would but still, if they are very big and really need to come down then that must trump any protection order. 

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