PLEASE HELP CHARLWOOD SAVE ITS CHURCHYARD TREES AND SIGN OUR PETITION

Our petition is addressed to whomever it may concern and refers to all the trees in St Nicholas churchyard (Charlwood, Surrey). All these trees are in a Conservation Area and all have confirmed TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders). Our petition states that no tree should be felled in St Nicholas churchyard (Charlwood) unless it is dead, dangerous or damaging buildings. No branch material should be removed from the trees for trivial reasons.

St Nicholas churchyard is the nearest Charlwood village (in Surrey) has to a park and it is used as such. It is a Conservation Area and all its trees have, since October 2014, been ‘protected’ by Confirmed TPOs (Tree Preservation Orders). There is much treeless space available in the churchyard for burials, and there is therefore no need to remove trees unless they are dead, dangerous or damaging buildings. The trees are attractive, interesting and essential for wildlife. Scientists linked to the Forestry Commission and Kew Gardens, other professionals (an arboriculturalist and former council tree officer, an ecologist, a tree scientist and academic, a county council tree warden) and many organisations including Friends of the Earth, Caring for God’s Acre, Care for the Wild: have produced statements and reports requesting genuine permanent protection for the trees. The Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals has produced a statement in support of churchyard trees.

In late 2013, a secret plot was uncovered to fell 17 trees and mutilate 21 others, based on an incompetent report. The report referred to Cypress trees as “Irish Yews” and to Irish Yew trees as “evergreens” and “unknown evergreens”, and made other species errors also. It wanted the felling of one tree for “competing” with a dead tree and the felling of another tree for no stated reason. It wanted the “demolition” of a remarkable tree “because” it “obscured” view of the church if one stood behind it, and wanted the felling of other trees “because” they were claimed to “serve no purpose”. The report was very hostile to trees (especially evergreen species) and failed to grasp the aesthetic and ecological value of trees. The council and diocese failed to correct the report and endorsed it instead.

Most of the 2013 report plans were successfully blocked or delayed. However, the rector and his PCC tried to get a remarkable Yew unlawfully felled: a Police Officer halted this. Trees have been unlawfully damaged to reduce their aesthetic value, and others unlawfully removed. A priest-in-charge has taken over and has given in to PCC pressure to renew the rector's felling and tree mutilation plans (despite the rector leaving in June 2015!). Please help stop the destruction of Charlwood churchyard trees.

The present tree works application wants the felling of Common Yew T2 which eminent Forestry Commission scientists have measured and aged as being up to 500 years old. These scientists have produced statements in favour of permanent protection for this tree, as have many important organisations. Reports by an arboriculturalist and former tree officer, by an ecologist and by a tree scientist and academic: state that T2 should be permanently protected, and despite damage done to it by the unlawful attempted felling that was blocked by a Police Officer. T2’s girth exceeds that set by DEFRA and Natural England for veteran/ ancient Common Yews. Government legislation protects aged and veteran trees from felling. No cogent reason has been given for felling this tree. See the photo of T2 (in 2013) in this petition.

The application also requests the felling of a small 6.5 m tall Common Yew tree T5 ‘because’ it is supposed to be ‘obscuring’ view of the church from an adjacent field: this tree is too small to block the view of the church (and “obscuring view of a church from a field” is not a valid reason anyway for felling a tree).

The application wants the felling of Irish Yew T3 for additional ‘burial space’. There is ample free burial space as it is and the Irish Yew is growing in a readily waterlogged area anyway, which is unsuitable for burial.

The application wants to remove branches from a circa 300 year old Oak tree to get a clearer view in summer of the church from certain points in the street. The church is already clearly visible if one stands in the right places, and Oaks can die from bacterial infections if live branches are removed.

The application wants Ash branch material removed over a pub roof. This is not controversial but if felling the Ash is requested on the basis of a claim that the Ash is ‘diseased’, a competent tree pathologist should examine the tree first. Previous examination has shown the tree to be healthy.

The application implies that a chemical can be used to kill live tree stumps that the World Health Organisation considers to be possibly carcinogenic to humans.The chemical remains in soil and ground water and can spread to ponds, wells and streams outside the churchyard.