Seconds to go

At around 9.40am this morning,  a piercing ‘crack, crack’ echoed across Clapper Brow,  quickly followed by the shout of FALL from Paul Elbourne, of Beechfield Tree Services; then, the sycamore on the edge of the park gracefully fell over; small branches and twigs exploding in all directions like a bursting firework.   Luckily, David Myers, FOPP’s intrepid film maker, was there to capture the moment for posterity.

It was unfortunate that the sycamore had to be felled, but, it has rotted from the base.  This had allowed squirrels to burrow inside to make a nice cosy ‘executive home’.   The result was a core of black rotting wood and soil (as can be seen in the picture)  with a circle of only around 4 inches of good wood left holding the tree up: threatening Steve Salt’s house.

Paul was extremely pleased with the delicate operation and the lack of damage to the surrounding area, whilst David compared it to a Fred Dibnah ‘extravaganza’  (David knew Fred).

The tree may have ended its growing phase of life, but it will not be leaving the Park.  The trunk will be moved to a safe area nearby so that it can become a ‘housing estate’ for wildlife and insects and a part of the ever turning circle of life.   The smaller branches will be made into woodchip,  and used around the Park.