Tree Breaking round Oakley Vale - Ideas to stop it please
Started 3 years ago by chair
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chair
MemberI've just stopped 3 teenagers (not it has to be said from Oakley Vale) breaking trees down by the smaller of the 2 lakes. They had a) no idea how useful trees are as a carbon sink and producer of Oxygen and b) that it cost CBC £200 to replace a tree, which can only be done between November to March. Does anyone have any ideas how we can get this message across to more than just 3 teenagers on a sunny June evening ? I appreciate that many people would not feel happy going up to 3 young people. I would not have done it myself if a large male neighbour had not been very nearby and I told him what I was about to do and asked him to stay near. All suggestions gratefully recieved. I'd like to get some help from the local schools and parents but can't think of quite what. If anyone has any ideas and can bring them to our meeting on Wed that would be great. Otherwise please contact me via this forum. Thank you. Judy Caine, Chair.Posted 3 years ago # -
daisy
MemberHow about we get the council/Developers to replace the trees with more mature trees as these won't break.
I know these trees will cost atleast double but surely the time being spent on patrolling and cctv kits and replacing the old trees will out weigh the cost of older trees.
Or there is the old fashioned method...i.e a belt round the ear's and drag the offending child to his parents and making them pay for the lost tree out of his/her pocket money 
Daisy..xoxo
Posted 3 years ago # -
sandgrounder
MemberEven if you could tell everyone the benefits of having trees planted in and around Oakley Vale, there would still be persons who would damage them. An Idea to stop people getting to the trees to damage them is to plant around the base of the trees thick thorny/prickley bushes that would keep people away from the trees untill they have matured enough to be of a size and hight that affords them sufficient protection. But in the meantime maybe a few simple notices put up around the Estate or a mention in the Oakley Monthly.
Posted 3 years ago # -
chair
MemberDear Sandgrounder,
I like all 3 suggestions,
- thorny/prickley bushes
- notices
- Oakley Monthly
What bushes do you have in mind ? Worth a call to Coftons.
One thing I did see in Milton Keynes was small iron fences round trees - it seemed to be working but a bit too 'sinister' somehow.
I'll let you know what Coftons think to the thorns and prickles !
Cheers,
Judy.Posted 3 years ago # -
sandgrounder
MemberHave a few Ideas with regard the types of bushes etc.. Also am not happy with the selection of trees that have been planted. Have a personal preference for large trees like Oak, Sycamore and Chestnut, but knowing how large these trees will become in time their siting has to be carefully chosen. Hence the reason I'm interested in knowing where the open spaces are and are going to be in the future
, as well as the use they are going to be put . Mature trees cost a lot of money, I'm talking £100's, or even £1000's 
, the simple way round this is to buy or be given small saplings and grow on until big enough to plant out in the open or to be really green, find seeds and propagate and pot on. For that we need to see if we can have an area that we scan use as a nursery . I have for a long time now whenever I visit a friends home ask for cuttings of various plants that catch my interest. Always take more than I need, just in case, so rather than bin the surplus happy to use in an open space , especially as my small garden is now a bit crowded with all the pots I have 
. So is this a good time to ask for a gardening section on the forum .Posted 3 years ago # -
chair
MemberDear Sandgrounder,
Anything green contemplates suicide if I so much as look at it ... ergo I have to confess I have not got green fingers and know nothing about gardening. The best person to ask about the choice of trees would I suspect be Mark Elwell at Coftons. He's head of customer services - he will know who you need to talk to - most likely the contracted landscaping company 'Midwest'. This said the council have adopted the lakes so any tree/bush issues round the lakes would need to be directed to them.
I'd imagine that Mark would know where the 'open spaces' will be. Let me know how you get on. Now I'm told is the tree planting season - Nov till March so a good time to ask - I like the nursery idea but who would maintain and secure it ? I will put this idea on the agenda for our committee meeting in January.
Someone in addition to you at the social do on Friday mentioned allotments and suggested that perhaps we could lease the land that at present is going to remain wasteground at the side of the proposed community centre. I thought this a very good idea as it would a) give the allotments that people apparently want and b) solve the problem about having waste ground that could become a troublesome meeting place for some of our more troubled youngsters. This idea will also go on the agenda. Would you be prepared to and have the time to head up a sub-committee of the OVCA to handle tree issues and allotments ? I guess it would take up approx. 1 - 2 hours a month of your time.
Please feel free to start a gardening section on the forum. I'm sure many people would find it useful. Won't be one I'll contribute much to though ... except HELP ... my plants are dying again ... WHY. The only thing I can grow is sunflowers and weeds ! OK with herbs in a pot !
All the best,
Judy.Posted 3 years ago # -
sandgrounder
MemberAh, another Suicide Gardener beside myself. My knowledge can be written on a postage stamp, for everything else I google or ask friends, or their friends. Have a few things I'll be checking out shortly and once I have spoken to a few "Experts" will see about speaking to Mark Elwell then. As well as the Open spaces will need to know which areas are adopted/about to be adopted etc. In the meantime would ask if anyone gets given a Plant for Christmas, then when planted, if they do not intend to keep the discarded pots, not to throw them out, I'll find a use for them
,also would be looking for volunteers to "Sponser a large Plantpot". Posted 3 years ago # -
sandgrounder
MemberA warning sign implies danger for which you can be held responsible. A notification sign just states the facts so you cannot be held responsible. Fallen foul of this in the past so always take care in choosing the wording of a sign I put up.
Have spent a lot of time on this subject over the past few weeks, so will hopefully have an Action Plan ready for the AGM next month.Posted 3 years ago # -
owly
MemberThe only thing I can think of is putting heavy wire netting around them until they are strong enough to survive such treatment.
The close that I live in has had most of the sappling treet broken down. When you ask the children ( and it is mostly children) to stop, they go home and tell their mums and the mum comes up and starts shoutimng the odds at you!!!!!!!! I suppose as long as the child isn't doing it where it lives, then the parents don't care most of the time.Posted 1 year ago #
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