Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Wind Casualties
A couple of trees bought the farm on Pemberton. The big one is a gonner, the Mountain Ash might be saved with a bit of effort, but I doubt it will be. I have been on to a friend who has passed this to the tree folks in the council.
I chatted with a lady opposite the big tree- until last night her car was under the tree. Another neighbour had a near miss as it came down, just missing him by all accounts...
Tags for Forum Posts: october winds 2013
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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Your photo kiki seems to reveal the last 3 letters on the bus number plate as DCK - duck!
Saved by the sturdy railings of the Victorian era none the less, as they seem to have taken the full impact & stayed upright.
Same bus had an interesting advert on its side;
A recent Ducketts Friends mtg talked of possible removal of a tree in the top cnr of the Common, to allow cctv sight line from camera at Turnpike Lane across the Common (re monitoring crime). Only one proposal and prob not a particularly serious option - now decided by nature anyway.
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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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I walked past the one at the Wightman end of Pemberton earlier. What's really noticeable is the fact that it just snapped at the base - there are no roots pulled out at all. And the actual circumference of the trunk at the point where it snapped was quite slim - although the trunk looked quite sturdy a lot of it was just a thickening of the trunk above the point where it snapped.
No idea if that is significant, but seemed interesting to me as a non-expert!
The only other things I noticed this morning were a massive advertising poster had come down at the Green Lanes end of Effingham, and a large plastic sign had come down on Green Lanes, again near Effingam - would have been bad if someone had been under it at the time (but no sign anyone was!).
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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How did the plastic orange barriers on Green Lanes fare?
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Nothing wrong that I could see but might have been sorted out before we ventured out.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Setz on
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Justin sent me a photo with a comment about what I think is this 'snapped-off' tree and the tarmac surrounding the pit.
If the pit is covered by a non-porous layer, it inhibits the growth of the tree. The pit collects water obviously and aerates the growth of the roots. The council put a watering pipe down into the soil alongside every tree they plant.
Trees and the ground that surround them are connected - when bits of the tree and it's population of living things fall off they get absorbed into the soil to increase the quality of the growth of the tree - they end up back in the tree :)
Although people assume that tree roots grow deep, they're surprisingly shallow - much less than a metre deep in all cases and often far less than that. Roots grow horizontal to the surface, that's what 'anchors' the tree. They appreciate water (especially in the growing season); hence the pipe - even 'grey' water from the washing up or waste water generally is better than nothing.
Councils and the Tree Officers who work in the Council Aboricultural Departments try to solve the problem of how to keep the pit open to the elements without creating a hazard. People with reduced vision can trip over a tree pit in a heartbeat. Sudden differences in levels on a pavement are never welcome. The pits can collect rubbish, weeds can grow there, some of which can damage the tree, if only by covering up the pit. Dogs...
Apparently, Haringey Council (amongst many others) used to re-use tree-bark as mulch in the pits, but it ended up being scattered (it blew away...) and thus messed up the street environment.
Pits can get covered in non-porous tarmac when ignorant contractors do road repairs, 'strangling' the tree. This does not get reported and the trees (which can cost £100's of pounds to replace) slowly die for no apparent reason.
We (Haringey Tree Wardens) go on regular Tree Walks around the streets of Haringey (currently every two months). We learn to enhance our appreciation and knowledge of the various species and do what we can to improve the treescape - we prune, clear up the pits, report problems to the Council etc and generally try to help. There are a few real experts (not me) especially associated with the Tree Trust for Haringey and the Friends of the Parks but most people are like me - absolutely no expertise - know little, want to know more. I just like trees.
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Thanks Chris, that's really interesting. I took a picture too, and it is the same one that Justin contacted you about (ie surrounded by tarmac).
Presumably another problem with the tarmac is that it both inhibits water reaching the tree roots while also making it more likely that water pools around the trunk (which can't be good I'm guessing?)
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Some of the stuff they use that looks like tarmac is in fact a porous resin - popular in Camden I'm told. I've heard that many trees are being kept alive by the numerous underground water pipe leaks. If the water company ever got good at stemming the flow, many street trees would die apparently...
It's usually obvious if a tree is suffering - it just looks like it is and you can learn more quite easily. There are radar-like devices that can scan underground and paint a picture of the roots etc, but they're only really used in the case of a dangerous disease or a particularly beautiful tree of course.
One of the things we learn by tramping the streets (!) is what a good street tree looks like. There are less than about 30 species in all. We have loads of good examples in Haringey - most people can see at least one tree from every window and the Tree Dept have brightened up quite a few previously-bare neighbourhoods with them.
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Permalink Reply by David Schmitz on
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I've now completed my tour (fortunately just before the heavens opened!) and can report that we seem to have got off relatively lightly.
I've been in touch with the Council's arboriculturalist and he's told me that they are aware of the Pemberton Road trees, and the one in Ducketts common as well as the ones in Hampden and Lausanne Roads. Because it was not clear whether they knew of the one outside 91 Hampden, I subsequently reported that, as well as the one outside 59 Fairfax Road. I've also reported fallen branches by North Harringay Primary School on Falkland Road and on Endymion Road by the junction with Green Lanes.
I've also requested help for the Railway Fields Nature Reserve, where a few trees are partially fallen and where the areas which are open have had to be restricted. NB: The Reserve IS nonetheless open and there is an activity for children tomorrow (Tuesday) between 1:00 and 3:00.
Turning to non-tree damage, I've reported a listing street light outside 79 Falkland Road, and the damaged fence and garden wall at 118 Wightman Road, by the junction with Pemberton Road.
I'll have a look at the billboard sites on Green Lanes (reported elsewhere on this site) shortly.
David Schmitz
Lib Dem Councillor for Harringay Ward
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Permalink Reply by Protheroe O'Shea on
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Thanks David. Have you seen the large billboard down the side of Jewsons . The plastic banner that was there is hanging off and at risk of blocking the vision of drivers or flying off into the road. Also i noticed the Harringay bridge banners looking a bit loose.
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Permalink Reply by Charlotte on
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Thank you. One of the trees close to the entrance to Ducketts Common on Willoughby Road has a very large, half broken branch in the crown which looks a bit dangerous.
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These are photos from Lausanne Road and Ducketts Common. Do we think that new trees will be planted?
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Interesting that the one on Lausanne Rd also has tarmac round its base, like the one on Pemberton. Or are most of the trees round here planted like that?
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