A PAIR of diseased and damaged trees have been removed from a city park by council chiefs in a bid to protect the safety of the park’s visitors
Two prominent trees in Gheluvelt Park have been removed but the trunks of both trees will be left in place to provide a habitat for a huge variety of life including insects, birds, bats and fungi.
The large cedar by the Pump House recently lost one of its biggest branches due to heavy water logging – a common issue with this species of tree.
As a result, the cedar’s crown is not able to provide enough energy to sustain the rest of the tree, creating a danger of more branches falling and potentially harming passers-by.
The second tree is the willow by the bandstand which has been infected by fungus which is making it structurally unsound and at risk of collapse.
Nick McGowan, the city council’s Tree and Conservation Officer, said: “It is always heart-breaking to have to remove well-established and much-loved trees, but sadly these two are now coming to the ends of their lives.
“The good news is that the trees will continue to make a contribution to the natural habitat in Gheluvelt Park because the trunks will be left there to become homes to insects, mosses, birds and other wildlife,” he said.
Later in the year, there will also be new trees planted in the park.
