Damage to a tree

 

Our local council has a lot of trees with ivy growing on them like this.
They have been notified about it, but they do nothing.

See picture on this link on Tinypic webpage.

http://tinypic.com/r/16hj0iw/5

Would ivy growing like this do any damage to a tree?

 

john hamilton wrote:

Only in the sense that it increases the wind loading in winter and may
result in the thing being blown over in storms. A healthy tree can
tolerate ivy growing on it, but the example you show is pretty extreme.

Regards,
Martin Brown

 

I go along with what Martin says here, but only you can tell how severe it
is, for example is the tree dead, or is it 'winter'?

There is a very strong case of a Health and Safety matter here for people
attending graves and the possibility of the tree toppling and killing or
injuring someone. With all joking apart about being killed in a graveyard, I
feel that a letter to the Council, a clearly worded letter at that, pointing
out that they might stand to receive a very severe claim if nothing is done
about the tree, then you stand a good chance of having something done.

Don't forget, that once your letter hits the council's desk, 'something' has
to be done. This depending on the council as to whether it is 3, 5 or 7
days.

And finish off the letter that you would support any claim should anything
happen because warning notice has been given.

Send your letter recorded delivery :-))

Helping my daughter and son in law on having two, if possible, but certainly
one tree felled which has is growing on Council public land which has grown
to be a danger to their house. Rather a large claim if it falls and
demolishes part of their house!!!!

Mike

--
Base for a Botanic visit to the Isle of Wight?
www.shanklinmanormews.co.uk

 

wrote:

Windage is a possible problem but assuming the tree is healthy,
probably not a huge danger. I wouldn't encourage those who will seek
any excuse to get rid of a tree - with or without ivy.  Trees like
that are also a valuable resource for wildlife in terms of food and
shelter - do we really want to tidy all wildlife out of our lives? I
certainly don't.
In any case we should be expected to look out for ourselves to a
certain extent and who's going to be standing downwind of that tree in
the graveyard during a heavy blow in the unlikely event that it did
fall without warnig.

Rod

 

Rod wrote:

I am inclined to think looking at the amount of ivy on that particular
tree that it is *not* in the best of health. A decent tree canopy in
midsummer will prevent the ivy getting quite that far up. So if there
are partially rotten or dead branches I'd say all bets were off.

Horse chestnuts along the roads in Belgium have succumbed to the nasty
fungal disease and brittle limbs would drop onto passing motorists from
time to time when it was windy. There were some fatalities.


A chunk of tree is more likely to fall, but do not underestimate how
much damage a 4" diameter bough falling 30' can do.

Regards,
Martin Brown