Expert backs attempts to save Brighton elm tree

Protesters camped out in the tree in Vernon Terrace Protesters camped out in the tree in Vernon Terrace

 A tree expert has added his support to a campaign to save a historic elm.

Brighton and Hove City Council halted its plans to chop down the tree in Vernon Terrace on Friday, March 8.

The proposal was part of plans to revamp the Seven Dials junction.

As campaigners draw up ways in which the tree can be saved, one of the country’s top tree experts, Tony Kirkham, has said he supports their efforts.

Mr Kirkham, who is head of the arboretum at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and star of the TV series The Trees That Made Britain, said it was a rare specimen of a Wheatley elm.

Mr Kirkham said: “All these elms were lost to Dutch elm disease except for a few isolated specimens around Brighton, so this specimen – which is a good example and a beautiful tree – should be preserved.”

“The roadway at Seven Dials looks barren and removing this tree will make it a desert.”

A public meeting to collect ideas was held on Tuesday night (March 12).

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Comments(10)

Charismatic Andrew says...
10:19am Thu 14 Mar 13

Interesting. The council arboriculturalist was happy for it to be cut down.

Perhaps the council arboriculturalist needs some training on trees.

Bob_The_Ferret says...
10:42am Thu 14 Mar 13

We know it's old, but what makes it historic?

Bob_The_Ferret says...
10:47am Thu 14 Mar 13

The council wouldn't listen to disability experts who say that removing the railings and replacing the controlled crossings with Zebra crossings so close to a busy junction would be particularly dangerous for the blind.

george smith says...
12:33pm Thu 14 Mar 13

mmmm there a few 'experts' in Brighton, that main expertise is a large ego and a lot of front. Emperor clothes strings to mind.

Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
12:55pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Bob_The_Ferret wrote:
We know it's old, but what makes it historic?
Because it's one of the few remaining mature elms. A bit like Arundel Castle is historic as it's one of the few remaining castles that isn't a ruin, or the Mallard is historic as it's one of the few remaining steam locomotives, or the cars on the London to Brighton veteran car run are historic as their the last few remaining early cars. It's not just an 'old tree'. Even in this day and age old trees aren't that rare.

Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit says...
12:56pm Thu 14 Mar 13

OMG, apologies for the APPALLING grammatical error in that last post (their not they're)

mimseycal says...
4:00pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Charismatic Andrew wrote:
Interesting. The council arboriculturalist was happy for it to be cut down.

Perhaps the council arboriculturalist needs some training on trees.
The councils' arboriculturalist is in that ol' cleft position ... between a paymaster and a tree.

wippasnapper says...
7:31pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Charismatic Andrew wrote:
Interesting. The council arboriculturalist was happy for it to be cut down.

Perhaps the council arboriculturalist needs some training on trees.
Perhaps he needs one stuck up his A-s-s

wippasnapper says...
7:43pm Thu 14 Mar 13

Bob_The_Ferret wrote:
The council wouldn't listen to disability experts who say that removing the railings and replacing the controlled crossings with Zebra crossings so close to a busy junction would be particularly dangerous for the blind.
& to think Rob Garrett Green Councilor is a councilor for disability’s seems like he doesn’t see the disability in blind people mind you nun of the GREEN councilors can see anything but there own selfish plans they are fusing onto everyone

SableMable2 says...
3:22pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Was this not a transport committtee decsion? Was it not put out to consultation? Where were all these protesters when the public consultation was being held last year? Did the councils arboriculurists not save the thousands of Elms still in the town? Are the councils arboriculturists a ctually the team cutting it down?...Who voted this Green Council in?

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