Lib Dem Environment Spokesperson and Highgate councillor Bob Hare has condemned Haringey Council for its mismanagement of trees in the borough. Cllr Hare, who is his party’s environment expert, says that Haringey has a woeful record of protecting local trees from the ravages of irresponsible utility companies when they are doing street works.

Cllr Hare this week took Monica Whyte, one of the three lib Dem candidates in the key marginal ward of Hornsey to look at tree damage in Hornsey High Street. They visited the site of a dead 150 year old poplar tree, which was killed because of utility street works and scandalous negligence by Haringey Council.

Cllr Hare says Haringey Council is supposed to control trenching works near trees. There are firm guidelines for utilities (called ‘NJUG guidelines’ – National Joint Utilities Guidelines). The Council allowed this cherished poplar tree’s roots to be exposed for a week or more in September 2003. The exposed roots were then re-buried in loose gravel. Not surprisingly, two years later, this massive tree was dead and had to be felled. The scale of the environmental loss is evident from the fact that is took a team of workmen two days to reduce the tree to a 12 foot stump.

Bob Hare comments:

“This sad story is the end result of the total failure by Haringey council to regulate the company responsible for digging up the pavement all round the tree. It is a disgrace that its roots were exposed in this way, and the problem not remedied. This is just one of the many trees that have been lost in this way in recent years, yet the Council has never prosecuted a company for this type of damage.”

Lib Dem candidate Monica Whyte adds:

“It is shocking to see the scale of the damage that can be done to one of the High Street’s much loved trees.Haringey council must do better, and set in place mechanisms to ensure that this does not happen again. The character of our High Street has been greatly damaged by its loss.”