Fermain trees should not be cut for views

Single-crown trees are being cut down and the logs and branches removed – thereby reducing biodiversity. The natural shapes of the remaining trees are being badly disfigured by substantially reducing their height.

And the reason? To provide a view across to Bec du Nez for the house being refurbished behind the woodland. And reducing or removing trees to enhance views is the general policy of Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services, even if it is applied on a case-by-case basis.

It beggars belief that permission can be granted to damage trees owned by the people of Guernsey in order to pander to the need for a better view for a private property owner.

Reducing Guernsey’s carbon footprint is clearly not of any concern to Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services.

IAN HAMILTON

ianhamiltonemail@gmail.com

Editor’s footnote: a spokesperson from Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services replies:

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your correspondent’s letter. Agriculture, Countryside & Land Management Services (ACLMS) is happy to explain why it has undertaken works in this area.

Protecting Guernsey’s natural environment is of great importance. From time to time ACLMS receives requests from landowners whose property borders land it manages to prune or remove trees. ACLMS assesses any requests under its ‘Good neighbour policy’. This policy sets out a general presumption against the removal or pruning of trees. However, in exceptional cases where a neighbour is suffering loss of light or unreasonable loss of amenity, and removal or pruning of the trees would not have a significant adverse impact on landscape and biodiversity, then works may be allowed, subject to conditions.

We received a request from a neighbouring property to prune a small group of trees within a wooded area between Becquet Road and Fermain Bay. The works were requested because of the growth of sycamore trees.

It was considered that the proposed works would not have a material impact on either the landscape or biodiversity of the area.

In some situations the removal and reduction of trees can enhance biodiversity by allowing in more sunlight, which in turn supports more flora and fauna, including butterflies and bees. Additionally, cut wood left on-site provides dead wood habitat for a range of fungi and invertebrates – the latter being a good source of food for insect-eating birds.

No logs or branches were removed off-site in this case. Six trees were pruned in total and three small trees were felled rather than reduced because they were spindly and had very small canopies. In this instance, the neighbour paid for the works.

There is no measurable ‘carbon footprint’ from the felling and pruning of a small number of trees where wood is left on-site.

Carbon dioxide is released as a consequence of burning cut wood, which is not the case here, and in any case the regrowth of the pruned trees will sequester carbon dioxide from the air. ACLMS takes the issue of climate change very seriously and has worked closely with Guernsey Trees for Life over several years to plant and establish thousands of trees on the land it manages.