hedges ruined

[bobbarber]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

It figures - cut them a low as they can get away with, so they don't have to come back again for a long while. Like I said - grab the money 'bish bosh', in and out!

I agree with what you say Jim. but surely they must have heard of the old gardening expression that ``growth follows the knife``,,,Bob

[Meadow5]

Originally Posted by Kleftiwallah

Is there ANYTHING that 'those in authority' will not resort to the old "elf & saftee ruse when challenged? Cheers, Tony.

More evidence that they dont care about wild life

[galanthophile]

How depressing.. It seems as though these days if you object to anything people in authority don't take a blind bit of notice. These contractors often cut down hedges, shrubs, trees for ridiculous reasons. I saw some mahonia chopped back recently and they were in full bloom!

[AfternoonLemon]

I've seen similar atrocities in my area, sometimes shrubs are cut back so harshly they just die

Unless they're an actual landscaper, the average council worker will just cut back as far as possible and not think of the consequences. You can't really blame them really, it's just ignorance. You can blame whoever is involved in the planning and management though.

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by AfternoonLemon

I've seen similar atrocities in my area, sometimes shrubs are cut back so harshly they just die

Unless they're an actual landscaper, the average council worker will just cut back as far as possible and not think of the consequences. You can't really blame them really, it's just ignorance. You can blame whoever is involved in the planning and management though.

I think we are beginning to be a little unfair to councils - not all are the same, but all are restricted by budgets and have to work within them.

To talk of ignorance is being ignorant in itself, people do not get these jobs unless they have a basic understanding of what the job entails, and after all, they are only obeying orders.

Neil.

[loripo]

This is happening quite a lot in London. Many of the blocks of flats were built where there were Victorian houses and many of the trees kept in situ but now they are causing problems as here...



They were blocking the light but I would have thought it better to replace these mature trees with something that won't grow so high. The trees around my flats are cut back every few years and there are rules governing the height they have to be above footpaths etc. One of the results is that they are cut lopsided and are now starting to lean.

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by fairplay

I think we are beginning to be a little unfair to councils - not all are the same, but all are restricted by budgets and have to work within them.

To talk of ignorance is being ignorant in itself, people do not get these jobs unless they have a basic understanding of what the job entails, and after all, they are only obeying orders.

Neil.

I have to disagree here, Neil. My sister used to live in a part private/part housing association small estate with large communal gardens in Surrey. She once returned home from work to find the council gardeners had strimmed and dug up most of the plants she had planted and nurtured (mostly for bees) around her side of her home. When she questioned their actions she was told they were under instructions to clear all the weeds!!!!!! When she asked them to name any of the plants that they had just decimated, they told her they looked like weeds so they cleared them! One angry call later to their manager and he was there apologising profusely within 30 minutes.

Sadly, they had also dug up the ground ivy where the kids frequently found stag beetles.

My sister used to have to pay ground maintenance for this privilege too

[fairplay]

I wouldn't be surprised in this case one or two residents complained the last time the trees were cut back, with the possible excuse they like to see the birds, but the inevitable had to happen and sure enough they had to be cut back.
Whatever decision the council take, there will always be somebody complaining, but I would say in this case the council never waited for people to complain about lack of light, they just got on with the job.

Neil.

[fairplay]

Originally Posted by Hedgehoggy

I have to disagree here, Neil. My sister used to live in a part private/part housing association small estate with large communal gardens in Surrey. She once returned home from work to find the council gardeners had strimmed and dug up most of the plants she had planted and nurtured (mostly for bees) around her side of her home. When she questioned their actions she was told they were under instructions to clear all the weeds!!!!!! When she asked them to name any of the plants that they had just decimated, they told her they looked like weeds so they cleared them! One angry call later to their manager and he was there apologising profusely within 30 minutes.

Sadly, they had also dug up the ground ivy where the kids frequently found stag beetles.

My sister used to have to pay ground maintenance for this privilege too

This was very unfortunate, but did your sister inform the council of what she was doing to improve the wildlife, were they even aware stag beetles were there ?
I just cannot see any council department, knowing stag beetles were present, giving instructions to staff to clear the habitat.
On the other hand, if they were not informed, then you cannot blame the council. Also stag beetles live in well rotted wood, often buried in the ground - removing the ivy would have no serious detrimental effect as when they come to the surface as adults they will only be thinking about sex and the males will be busy flying around looking for the females.

Also remember, a weed is ANY plant growing in the wrong position - if the workers were told to cut that vegetation in that area, then that is what they will do. If your sister had informed the relevant department of what she was doing, it is just possible (if it did not interfere with the work schedule) that the boss would be impressed and inform the work force not to remove or cut those plants.
An apology from the council in a case such as this was purely a good will gesture.

Neil.

[Hedgehoggy]

Originally Posted by fairplay

This was very unfortunate, but did your sister inform the council of what she was doing to improve the wildlife, were they even aware stag beetles were there ?

My sister wasn’t under any obligation to inform the council of what she was doing. Her title deeds/leasehold contract stipulated she was solely responsible for looking after the border immediately surrounding her property within the communal gardens.

At the time (c.10 years ago), my sister was unaware stag beetles were afforded protection (were they even on the protected species list 10 years ago?).

Originally Posted by fairplay

Also stag beetles live in well rotted wood, often buried in the ground - removing the ivy would have no serious detrimental effect as when they come to the surface as adults they will only be thinking about sex and the males will be busy flying around looking for the females.

Neil.

Maybe the kids were finding the stag beetles after the larvae had freshly pupated and emerged from the soil under the ground ivy.

Originally Posted by fairplay

An apology from the council in a case such as this was purely a good will gesture.

Don’t think so! More likely the manager was worried my sister would take the matter further and make a formal complaint demanding compensation – of which she didn’t, purely as a good will gesture.