Statement from Canopy on Enfield Felling

Canopy Coalition – The Enfield Oak Felling and Call for Greater Protections for our Most Valuable Trees

The news that an irreplaceable, 500-year-old oak was unnecessarily felled in Whitewebbs Wood, Enfield has, rightfully, shocked and appalled many this week.

Canopy Coalition want improved protections for all trees, especially mature trees. We support calls by The Tree Council and Forest Research to bring about greater protection for trees of high social, cultural and environmental value and the Woodland Trust’s Heritage Trees Bill, which has the support of over 100,000 people who signed a petition and has already been drafted.

What happened in Enfield is a painful reminder that protections for the UK’s most valuable trees are utterly inadequate and that now is the time for the government to act.

The story is rapidly changing but as it stands, we understand that the leaseholder, Toby Carvery, was responsible and that they were working on the advice of arborists.

A statement from Toby Carvery who are owned by Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) justified that what they did as “essential action to protect our employees and guests to which we have a duty of care”. Adding, “We are grateful to our specialist arboriculture contractors for warning us of this potential health and safety risk, allowing us to act swiftly to address it”.

A later statement from M&B apologised, not for the act of felling but “…for all the upset that it has caused."

Details of any report carried out by the unnamed arborists has yet to be revealed although going by what has been released, it’s impossible to believe that this work was necessary and that the tree was, in fact “dead”, as was claimed. Perhaps an indication of just how unconvinced the contractor was by their own advice is the fact that they ensured all workers’ uniforms and vehicles were free of any identifying livery.

A survey of the tree last year indicated it was in good health. Given its significant value, even if the tree was in poor health or demonstrated a threat, other options were available to Tony Carvery, such as a fence around the tree to keep people safe.

The police have looked into what happened, but since the tree was not covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), they have decided to close their investigation – something which might shock people. It's not clear yet whether a criminal act has been committed. 

Ancient and veteran trees in the UK have less protection than heritage buildings, and greater protection for our trees is long overdue. 

In an ironic twist, what’s left of the tree has now been granted a Tree Preservation Order. As well as greater protections through the Heritage Trees Bill, Canopy Coalition is calling for a review of the UK’s archaic TPO system which is simply not fit for purpose.

Please write to your MP to encourage them to support the Heritage Trees Bill to try and ensure this sort of this does not happen again in the future.

Ali White and Gio Iozzi

Co-Chairs

Canopy Coalition

canopy.org.uk