Bournemouth council sparks fury after chopping down pine trees and ‘covering it up’
Bournemouth council has sparked anger after it cut down two pine trees and ‘covered it up by suggesting the species is not native’ – despite the seaside town’s historical affinity for them.
When Captain Lewis Tregonwell effectively settled Bournemouth in 1810, he planted thousands of pine trees so visitors could take advantage of the pine air.
The Dorset resort quickly became known as the ‘Evergreen Valley’ due to its abundance of lush pines.
In 1891 Bournemouth was granted a coat of arms and the symbol of a fir tree topped the design which is still used today.
Now local residents have accused the local government of environmental vandalism after a pair of pine trees on the cliff were suddenly felled without warning, just a year after residents were outraged when another four protected trees were felled by officials.
When Captain Lewis Tregonwell effectively settled Bournemouth in 1810, he planted thousands of pine trees so visitors could take advantage of the pine air. The Dorset resort quickly became known as the ‘Evergreen Valley’ due to its abundance of lush pines
In 1891 Bournemouth was granted a coat of arms and the symbol of a fir tree topped the design which is still used today. Now local residents have accused the local government of environmental vandalism after a few pine trees on the cliff were suddenly chopped off without warning
They also accused the council, which declared a climate emergency in 2019, of trying to cover up the “appalling act” by suggesting the trees were not native.
Dr. Robert Wilson, who lives close to the area in question, said: ‘It had nothing to do with ‘conservation’. It’s a smoke screen to mislead people.
‘Pine trees are as native as in Bournemouth.
“They’ve been trying to confuse people into thinking pine trees aren’t native to the area and distract people with ‘management plans.’
“The statement from the municipality was made to cover up the vandalism of a municipal worker.”
Workers for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP Council) turned up on the cliff in Southbourne, Bournemouth, on February 15 to carry out conservation work.
The area is a Protected Area of Special Scientific Interest and removal of gorse and heather is routinely carried out.
Dr. Wilson said he made it a point to approach the three workers to point out the presence of the two six-foot-tall pine trees and claims he was told not to touch them.
When he returned later, he was shocked to find nothing but two piles of wood chips where they had been.
Initially, the BCP Council reportedly denied cutting the saplings, but later admitted this after an investigation.
Dr. Wilson said, “The two pines had grown naturally from pine cone seeds that had fallen from neighboring trees.
“They grew into the next generation of cliff pines.
“These young trees were not felled out of concern for the environment, they were felled by a BCP municipal worker with a chainsaw who seems to have become angry because he was told twice that pine trees were growing nearby.
“He clearly told me he wouldn’t touch the trees in any way.
“I set off along the cliff to do the rest of my walk, but I couldn’t shake this feeling I had, it was like a premonition.
“I came back half an hour later and the trees were gone, just wood chips on the ground where they had been.”
Fellow resident, Rachel Howard, said the BCP Council should do more to protect the environment after declaring a climate emergency and pledging to become carbon neutral by 2030.
They also accused the council, which declared a climate emergency in 2019, of trying to cover up the “appalling act” by suggesting the trees were not native. Dr. Robert Wilson, who lives close to the area in question, said: ‘It had nothing to do with ‘conservation’. It’s a smoke screen to mislead people. ‘Pine trees are as native as Bournemouth’
Workers for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP Council) turned up on the cliff in Southbourne, Bournemouth, on February 15 to carry out conservation work. The area is a Protected Area of Special Scientific Interest and removal of gorse and heather is routinely carried out
Dr. Wilson said he made it a point to approach the three workers to point out the presence of the two six-foot-tall pine trees and claims he was told not to touch them. When he returned later, he was shocked to find nothing but two piles of wood chips where they had been
She said: ‘The council is terrible when it comes to trees and hedges, I often see them tearing hedges to bits with some big knives on tractors.
They also do it during the breeding season. No attention to nesting birds.
‘The municipality should set a good example.’
In a statement, a BCP Council spokesperson said: ‘We can confirm that the works have been carried out by operational staff from the council parks.
‘Because they were routine in nature, they were undertaken without the need for a broader connection.
‘In recognition of its natural value and due to the presence of some significant geological exposures, parts of the cliffs have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
‘However, large parts of the cliffs are dominated by non-native vegetation.
“These trees were planted without permission and have been removed in accordance with the management plan for the area, which has been carefully designed to control vegetation and ensure the preservation of locally important flora and fauna.
‘These works are consistent with the wider management of the cliffs by parks and rural teams where shrubbery and trees are managed in the interest of the habitat, including a range of reptile species, solitary bees and wasps that specialize in the exposed cliffs and many butterflies. kind.’