• THIS is a plea for us all to make an effort to change the out-of-date current planning regulations and policies which allow the felling of precious trees in private gardens in our conservation areas in Camden and beyond, on the grounds that they are not “visible” to the public, and therefore not worthy of Tree Protection Orders.

The Mayor of London has called for greater tree cover across the capital but it seems the current law on private trees and planning policies work against this.

In times of Covid, property owners are extending and modifying gardens, building sheds in their rear gardens to create more space as well as to increase the value of their properties, to the detriment of the natural environment.

People often do not realise this is taking place, and too few objections are made because the system and regulations are flawed.

Many home owners disregard the rules and there is often little that can be done to save trees from felling, even when they do apply for planning permission.

Some of my neighbours and I have just lost a battle to save a beautiful, healthy, 12-metre blossoming cherry tree in our neighbours’ rear garden from felling; “for routine maintenance” on the grounds that “it is not visible by the public”. We are in a conservation area.

I wish I could tell you how much joy this beautiful living thing has given us over the years, how beneficial it has been for us, and how much privacy it provided us from the buildings across the rear gardens.

It is estimated that it has around 50 years of life ahead of it. I will mourn this tree when it is gone, and the thought that it will be felled with the blessing of the council planning team pains me.

I quote from the planning application: – section fell to ground level – grind out stump to 340mm below ground level (re-turfing+re-planting) – back fill hole using grinding arisings, remove excess from site. It states the tree will be felled “for routine maintenance”.

This tree stands for all the other private trees at risk of being felled. The felling of beautiful trees has a ripple effect on the fauna and flora in our rear gardens, and on us humans too.

Each one of us should make an effort to protect public and private trees, however we can, at a time when human greed, selfishness, and systemic ignorance continue to damage our environment and precious trees like the cherry tree which is now condemned.

CHRISTINE GARABEDIAN, NW3