Giant Redwood tree to be felled after sadly deteriorating
A giant redwood tree on an allotment site in Exeter will have to be felled after noticeably deteriorating over the last year.
The Sequioadendron giganteum – also known in the UK as a ‘Wellingtonia’ or giant redwood – which is located on the Pinces Gardens Allotments, will have to be brought down for safety reasons. There is another giant redwood standing close by which is unaffected.
Tree experts at the City Council said the giant tree which stands at around 23m tall, with a stem diameter of some 2m, is beyond saving, with 95% of the foliage having already turned brown.
Experts believe the tree’s root or vascular system has been impaired and there is also some historical fire damage around the base of the tree.
The tree is thought to be well over a hundred years old and a descendant of the giant redwoods in California, USA. The allotments stand on the site of the old Lucome and Pince nursery (1720-1912) and the tree is likely to have been planted from early propogations.
Cllr Ruth Williams, Lead Councillor for City Management, said she was sorry the tree was dying: “We have been monitoring the tree annually and it has shown some decline which has been accelerated over the last year.
“No-one likes to cut trees down, especially a tree as iconic as this one – so loved by many local residents - but unfortunately this one is beyond saving and will need to be taken down to be made safe. Once the tree is down we will consider planting another tree of a species more suited to the allotments location.”
Felling is likely to take place before the end of the year, with allotment holders able to enjoy the summer harvest before the operation takes place.
Because the tree is in a conservation area, planning consent will need to be given for works to the tree.
The Council said it intends to dismantle the tree by arial ascent and rigging, as there is no access for a crane or mobile elevated work platform. There will be some restrictions to access for the allotment plot holders during the works.
The woodchip will remain on site for the use of the allotment holders but the timber is of little value for milling as it is brittle and splits readily. The Council will aim to leave some standing dead timber as a monolith and some timber on the ground for its ecological value.
The tree is thought to come from a shipment of seed collected from the Calaveras Grove in California by William Lobb, (a plant hunter acting for the Veitch nursery of Exeter),which arrived in England in December 1853. The seed from this batch was widely distributed throughout Europe. The City Council manage giant redwoods in Exeter and there are four young ones that were planted in Pinces gardens in 2011.
