Who is killing the trees?

3 July 2021

Bark has been stripped off mature trees in the Lych wood area of Lambourn. It appears to be a wilful act of vandalism with the consequence that there is a high probability that the trees will die. At a time when we are facing the challenge of global warming it seems that some individuals are determined not only to destroy the habitat for wildlife but also to kill off the very trees which capture reduce the damage to our planet.

Kate posted on the Lambourn Facebook Group:
“I have no words!! In fact I have a lot of words to say but since this is a nice place and a great community I’ll refrain from saying what I really want to.Walking in the woods, as I do each day, today I see this disgusting and abhorrent act of of vandalism. Let’s face it this is not deer either… when are deer this determined to ring a tree in one sitting from the ground up? I’d like to be wrong here but this is a deliberate vandalism presumably from the lowlifes who dump their trash through the woods as well. So they are not happy with leaving garbage everywhere (the product of which caused great trauma to my dog who stood on broken glass), they now think literally killing the woods off is how they want to pass their pointless time? This tree will die now and as a consequence the woods will change. Our access to these woods is a privilege the community wish to keep. This performance from those who live among us is not just a threat to the success of a woodland but a threat to what we enjoy here. Do they not realise that this can be taken away? Wouldn’t stop them I’m sure. Trespassing is likely the least of their worries. They also got going on another tree. Someone must know who is doing this…it must be stopped.”

Can a tree live without bark?

When a tree has been damaged by removing a ring of bark, the tree may die depending on how completely it was girdled. Removal of even a vertical strip of bark less than one-fourth the circumference of the tree will harm the tree, but not kill the tree. When the patch of bark is one-half or greater, the chances of tree death increase. Complete girdling (the bark removed from a band completely encircling the tree) will certainly kill the tree.The reason for damage due to girdling is that the phloem layer of tissue just below the bark is responsible for carrying food produced in the leaves by photosynthesis to the roots. Without this food, the roots ultimately die and cease sending water and minerals to the leaves. Then the leaves die. As you can see from this process, there is a delay period before the roots and top dies. There are some stored foods in the roots and lower trunk that allow the roots to continue functioning for a little while.

The Legal Position

Without permission, it’s an offence to cut down, uproot or wilfully destroy any trees:

• subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO)
• in a Conservation Area
• over 5 cubic metres in volume (whether an individual tree or several smaller trees).

Those who damage or carry out work without permission on a tree with a TPO or in a Conservation Area may be:

• fined up to £20,000
• prosecuted for felling without a licence
• served a notice to replace any protected trees that have been destroyed.

Serious offences may be escalated to Crown Court trial and result in an unlimited fine.