The first tree is about to fall

[My pictures]

Article from

The Gazette

September 1, 2010

Trees drilled and poisoned

Anger as saboteurs target [40]-year old trees, forcing them to be felled

by Tom Foster

The Row of Trees in January this year

The totally dead tree is the first down

Where the poison was injected

ALARMED residents are concerned and upset after a number of trees in their neighbourhood were targeted by unknown saboteurs.

Two trees on a green in Buckingham Road, Tring, were covertly attacked by having their bases drilled into and poison inserted.

It has also been discovered that two other trees had been similarly poisoned some time ago and council workers were yesterday forced to cut them down.

Colin Chambers, team leader for the trees and woodlands department at the borough council said:

"We are looking into the damage to trees in Buckingham [Road], Tring.

"There is a line of [five] trees adjacent to numbers 12 to 20 Buckingham Avenue. They are a selection of English Cherry, Beech and Mountain Ash.

"Last year two of these trees were poisoned and have now died, they are currently being removed and we will be replacing them.

"More recently, all but one of the rest of these trees have been drilled and, we suspect, poisoned. We will be keeping an eye on them and will take action if they become unsafe.

Amanda Stacy, 42, who lives opposite the green, said: "All the residents are very upset about what's happened.

"The trees are all very mature and around [40] years old. They've been here since the estate was built.

"They were definitely attacked recently, there was still sawdust around the drill holes."

Mrs Stacy's three children all use the green to play on, and she has attempted to flush out any poison that may have been inserted into the two most recently attacked trees in a bid to save them.

She has been in discussion with other residents about their concerns regarding the attacks, but is reluctant to tell her 95-year-old neighbour, who has lived on the estate since it was first built and the trees were planted.

Mrs Stacy hopes that the culprit will come forward but fears that no-one may be held responsible.

Police have been contacted regarding the matter but are waiting for a council request due to the trees being sited on council land.

Mr Chambers is urging anyone with information on the damage caused to the trees or who has seen any­ thing suspicious to come forward. Call the trees and woodlands section on 01442 228844.