Ainsdale trees – planted 2017 – destroyed in 2019

Subsequent to the controversial felling of a healthy mature tree in Bowness Ave pathway, the council promised to allow the old stump to regenerate and to plant new trees. Thankfully their promise was kept. However, residents recently noticed that two replacement trees that were planted in 2017 (which had initially thrived) had lost their leaves and now sadly died.

Above: healthy saplings killed by mowers

Mowing damage

On closer inspection, the tree deaths indicate bark having been knocked off at the ground level base of the trees. Any tree will die after having the bark stripped off the trunk like this.

Above: Pictures conclude that the wooden stakes also show mowing machine scars, as well as bark damage on the trees themselves.

In the urban environment, the most likely cause of such tree damage is frequent bangs and cuts from mowing machine activity. Unfortunately, the original wire tree guards were set too high, obviously so that grass mowers could get closer to the tree. This permitted the fatal damage to occur.

Regrettably, mowing damage is a common tree death cause, especially in towns. The site of injury is usually the root flare: the area where the tree meets the turf and gets in the path of the mower or trimmer. The root flare, like the rest of the trunk, is protected by bark, which guards a very important plant transport system just behind the woody bark layer. Dedicated tubes move nutrients and water between the roots and leaves to keep the tree alive. Any damage to this transport system can kill a tree.

Above: tree and stakes clearly stripped of life-supporting bark at ground level marks classic mowing damage.

A waste of essential funding

What is the point of the council planting costly trees to improve the area when the same specimens are destroyed by them a few months later? How many more street trees have suffered a similar fate? See also:

https://www.otsnews.co.uk/council-threatening-mature-ainsdale-tree-with-felling-for-no-good-reason/

NB. Sefton Council was contacted about this issue. They replied several weeks ago stating that the enquiry would be forwarded to an “appropriate officer or department for a response”.