Forum topic: Tree Re-Planting

There wa a major tree survey and re-planting exercise across the Lakes estate in 2011-12, and an associated survey of trees likely to need replacement over the next few years, for example through age, disease or serious damage to the road or pavement. This latter is a last resort step after remedial measures have been tried. Such measures include for example resetting and thinning out of the granite kerb to avoid damage to traffic, and tarmac replacement of pavement slabs to prevent trips as tree roots push them up.

Tree removal and replacement does continue, on an ad hoc scale. I have walked the streets in the Lakes Estate Conservation Area with Enfield tree officers, and it is striking as to what the limits on replanting are. There are constraints on replanting where the earlier tree was, and a whole range of limits imposed by the need to avoid services, cross overs, lighting columns etc none of which were there when the area was originally planted. Some earlier tree replacement has turned out to be mistaken, and the varieties chosen have become nuisances!

There is also consciousness that planting uniformly risks disease or pest spread and eventually all dying or becoming diseased at the same time.

I will try to find out what the situation is for replanting in OPR, I have already asked for an inventory of planting over the lkast few yesrs across the area, and will pot it if/when I get it.

Colin Younger
Chair
Lakes Estate Conservation Area Study Group.

I seem to remember that at the Fox Lane Quiet Neighbourhood meeting it was suggested that there could be temporary trials of potential traffic calming measures. As part of this it was suggested that mock up trees, straw bales etc could be used to gauge the impact of possible permanent changes.

This seems to me to be a sensible way ahead and worth raising at any future consultation meetings. No doubt LBE staff involved are well aware of what Haringey has already done, for example around Turnpike Lane west, and there must be many other examples which can be shown to residents.