Five year tree & gardening plan for the management of the woodland amenity areas of Peckarmans Wood

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Tracy Conley
5 years ago
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1 Five year tree & gardening plan for the management of the woodland amenity areas of Peckarmans Wood For ref: Additional proposed text by the sub-committee appears in red and bold; comments by the sub-committee appear in red, bold and italics. 1. General Policy/Principles 1.1. The Peckarmans Wood housing development is in a woodland setting where existing trees, together with new trees of a similar stature, are to be retained at their natural height and in their natural form. Therefore pollarding or crown reductions will not normally be carried out as the result would be incongruous and unacceptable in this location It is however, appreciated that the quality of life for residents is very important and therefore the loss of light caused by mature trees is an issue when they are retained in their natural form. Therefore the Dulwich Estate will continue its programme of crown thinning and re-shaping trees that cause light restriction, and in exceptional cases the complete removal of an offending tree New tree planting where a tree has either died or been removed will be continued, provided such trees were part of the original planting scheme i.e. were not self-seeded or planted by residents. The choice of species will be trees which were part of the original planting scheme such as weeping silver birch, almonds, hornbeams etc reasonably large woodland trees similar to those existing. Small trees such as Cherries are considered more suburban species, and not thought suitable, apart from within private gardens should the owners so wish. New oak trees are also not suitable due to their size at full growth Laurel hedges on the estate to be cut to a consistent height of x metres on the estate (to be agreed - NB. 2.3 of the Tree plan states 2.5m whereas 1.5 of the Gardening plan states 1.8m) 1.5. Where safety concerns about trees are raised by residents, the Dulwich Estate will look into these quickly. Trees may have to be removed for safety reasons. Dulwich Estate will also carry out yearly safety checks on very large and very old trees on the estate Dulwich Estate will ensure that gardening contract includes the maintenance of work once it has been completed, for example keeping the hedges at an agreed height. Where work is carried out, those areas will be made good and grass reinstated where appropriate. Tree maintenance will include a programme to generally thin and remove dead wood or dangerous trees will be continued, together with additional tree work which may be required at that time similar to the programme specified above for 2013/14. Please note that in the remainder of this document we have used house numbers and areas shown on the map provided by the garden contractors, to identify where work will be undertaken. 1

2 2. Year 1: The current season April March The thinning and removal of trees will be carried out around the upper area between numbers 47 and 54 and will comprise and below: the following: 2.2 A Tree of Heaven approximately 15.00M in height is situated within mixed woodland between numbers 46/48 44 and the access road, it is in good health and condition although badly sited within the canopy of a well shaped and important Hornbeam tree. The tree should be removed and the stump ground out. (Tree removed December Stump remains)(ref: Current Season, 2.2, Tree 2.3 A Laurel hedge situated at the end of the open space to the front of number 44 51PW close to the bank down to lower Peckarmans Wood, the hedge is in good health and condition but beginning to encroach into the lower canopy of a row of Silver Birch trees. The hedge will be reduced in height to 2.50M and the face clipped vertical at the rear edge of the path. (Has much improved this area and has allowed more light on the steps.) The back of the hedge also needs to be shaped prior to new growth in the spring/summer. (Ref: Current Season, 2.3 Tree. 2.4 Further along the path towards number 54 is a mature Yew tree in the region of 12.00M in height and situated close to a very large and mature Oak tree. The Yew tree should be reduced in height to 5.00M and rounded off as a more formal specimen. (This has not yet been done and was one of the original priority concerns raised by residents with the Estate.) (Ref: Current Season, 2.4 Tree Remove lower branches (Ref: Year 2, Area 9 Gardening 2.5 Two large Cypress trees in the region of 12.00M in height are situated to the rear of number 35 Crescent Wood Road and to the front of 48/47 Peckarmans Wood. The trees are incongruous to the general landscaping and natural woodland setting and will be felled and the stumps ground out. Replacement trees will be planted with indigenous species such as Lime or Hornbeam. (Trees removed. Stumps remain. NB. The Cypress trees were not part of the original planting scheme and therefore should not automatically need to be replaced. At the meeting in October 2013 Tony George agreed to leave this area for a season or two to see what the remaining trees look like after that time. If replacement trees are to be planted, Tony agreed to consider adding smaller indigenous trees rather than large growing lime or hornbeams which residents are concerned will ultimately cause the same loss of light presented by the Cypress trees. Also this area needs tidying up) (Ref: Current Season, 2.5 Tree 2.6 Reinstate holly in Area 10 as a hedge (before it gets more out of shape. The kerria can be tackled in Year 3) (Ref: Year 2, Area 10 Gardening 2.7 Right hand side of the steps in front of 48PW remove holly, eleagnus and tree (Ref: Year 1, Area 6 Gardening (There remains a dead tree in the middle of this area which needs to be removed, along with dead holly and dead branches. Also leaves need to be cleared here) (Ref: Current Season, 2.2 Tree 2.8 Take down laurel to 1.8metres, in area 5. Remove elder/overgrown shrubs up to end wall. (Ref: Year 1, Area 5 Gardening 2

3 2.9 Clear saplings at bottom end of area 1 (towards 41 & 42PW) (Before these become much bigger trees) (Ref: Year 1 Gardening 2.10 Attend to Maples behind 16-20PW consider removing one which is growing into the line of birch, and feathering (or removing) the others (as agreed previously). This will allow light into these houses as per 1.2 General Policy/Principles. The strawberry tree in this area also needs shaping. (Ref: Additional item proposed by the sub-committee) 2.11 Remove the self-sown multi-stemmed holly which is growing up into the large oak tree (behind 16/17PW); and on the oak itself, remove the straggly small lower braches to give the trunk a better form. The small strawberry tree in this area needs formative pruning. (Ref: Additional item proposed by the subcommittee) 2.12 Carry out safety checks on the large oak trees behind 5PW and 16/17PW and also the copper beech trees behind 21/22PW. (Ref: Additional item proposed by the sub-committee) 2.13 Remove overhanging branches off path. Remove all vegetation to side of 20PW. (NB. These may need further pruning once in leaf to ensure path is well lit at night. This was started in January 2014 and should be completed as part of general path/steps safety) (Ref: Year 4 Area 23 Gardening 3. Year 2: Remove laurel, elder and privet (from area below 53-57CWR), essentially leaving the trees (Year 1, Area 2 Gardening. Also remove ivy from trees. (The same area is specified in 2.7 of the Tree Plan - (Ref: Current Season, 2.7 Tree - The trees and shrubs within the central copse situated to the rear of Crescent Wood Road are in good health and condition, however, some species are overgrown and a little untidy. The holly shrubs should be reduced by approximately one third and re-shaped as necessary. Laurel shrubs around the perimeter of the copse are also overgrown and encroaching over the adjacent grassed bank. The Laurel should be reduced in height by one third (to the agreed height as per the general principles) and encroaching foliage should be cut back as necessary and reshaped. (NB. Tree Plan and Gardening Plan differ on action to be taken - an agreed approach needs to be proposed for this area). 3.2 Remove sapling oak trees at the back of 19CWR (too close to the houses and too large for the estate.) (Ref: Additional item proposed by the subcommittee) 3.3 Remove elder growing among silver birch opposite 49PW (Ref: Additional item proposed by the sub-committee) 3.4 Remove all vegetation from Area 3 (opposite the front of 44PW) and regrass. (Year 1, Area 3, Gardening 3

4 3.5 Remove shrubs and eleagnus from Area 4 (opposite the front of 46PW) (Year 1, Area 4, Gardening. 3.6 Remove right hand holly. (Ref: Year 3, Area 19, Gardening 3.7 Above 47PW, take down laurel to 1.8m (or the agreed height as per the general principles) Remove elder/overgrown shrubs up to end wall. (Ref: Year 1, Area 5, Gardening. 3.8 Plant steeper plant. (Ref: Year 2, Area 8, Gardening plan) Remove all plants from this area and grass over. (Ref: Additional item proposed by the subcommittee) (Many of the plants are not indigenous e.g. pampas grass; and this is very suburban hence not in line with the general policy and principles.) 3.9 Remove viburnum and plant ground cover This area is currently maintained by the resident who lives next to it (Ref: Area 11, Gardening 3.10 Tidy area, remove forsythia and pyracantha This area is currently maintained by the resident who lives next to it (Ref: Area 12, Gardening 3.11 Remove laurel (Ref: Year 3, Area 17, Gardening 4. Year 3: A small copse of rather overgrown Laurel shrubs is situated at the rear of the number 43PW, the plants are all in good health and condition although a little too tall. A height reduction of up to one third is proposed. (It would be helpful to agree a height for this in line with the general principles) (Ref: Current Season, 2.6, Tree 4.2. Tidying up the area at the back of 61-63CWR beside the woods (Ref: Year 1, Area 1, Gardening : Clear area full of brambles back to laurels; Clear remaining area and remove Elder; Remove second elder situated behind the above; Remove lower branches of ivy from oak and sycamore 4.3. Remove kerria and reinstate holly as a hedge. Follow with seeding of this area. (Ref: Year 2, Area 10, Gardening 4.4. Remove laurel and ivy. Seed area to path. Plant bulbs on green. (The subcommittee would prefer not to have bulbs planted here). (Ref: Year 3, Area 13, Gardening 4.5. Remove shrubs and ivy off wall (Ref: Year 3, Area 14, Gardening 4.6. Remove bed/seed (Ref: Year 3, Area 15, Gardening 4

5 4.7. Cut overhanging branches, remove ferns and suckers back to tree line, Remove dead elder and Ash (Ref: Year 3, Area 20, Gardening 5. Year 4: Right hand side of steps in front of 48PW - Consider planting low growing shrubs on either side of steps (Liaise with PWCWRRA). (Ref: Year 1, Area 6, Gardening 5.2. Right hand side of steps next to 48PW (Ref: Year 1, Area 7, Gardening : Remove ash and other shrubs Remove laurel Remove elder at tops of steps Plant hedge along fence line of 49. Type of hedge to be agreed with PWCWRRA Remove cornus to right hand side of 49 and plant low growing shrubs 5.3. Remove shrubs from scenecio to laurel (Ref: Year 3, Area 16, Gardening 5.4. Clear ground cover to fence (Ref: Year 3, Area 17, Gardening 5.5. Clear cornus and other shrubs (Ref: Year 3, Area 21, Gardening 5.6. Remove laurel, holly and elder. (Consult with PWCWRRA re: retaining some holly for privacy) (Ref: Year 5, Area 28, Gardening 5.7. Remove all shrubs and suckers (Ref: Year 5, Area 29 Gardening 5.8. Remove Rhododendron, acuba and holly. (Consult with PWCWRRA re: retaining some holly for privacy). (Ref: Year 5, Area 30 Gardening 6. Year 5: Plant low growing hedge (Ref: Year 4, Area 22, Gardening 6.2. Remove all vegetation. Plant hedge. (Ref: Year 4, Area 24 Gardening 6.3. Remove ivy/seed (Ref: Year 4, Area 25, Gardening 6.4. Clear weeds from base of tree (Ref: Year 4, Area 26 Gardening 6.5. Clear area to side of 26 and seed. Write to owner before works commence (Ref: Year 4, Area 27, Gardening 5

Tree Survey ROTHERWICK ROAD AND HAMPSTEAD WAY AREA 5. Date of observations: June This report has three elements.

Tree Survey ROTHERWICK ROAD AND HAMPSTEAD WAY AREA 5. Date of observations: June This report has three elements. Tree Survey Hampstead Garden Suburb ROTHERWICK ROAD AND HAMPSTEAD WAY AREA Date of observations: June 2012 This report has three elements. 1. A brief overview account of the trees in the area. 2. An area