In article ,
martin wrote:
On Wed, 8 Oct 2003 18:48:07 +0100, "ned" wrote:
bilbo-bj wrote:
There is a Silver Birch tree 3 metres from my house on suspected
shrinkabkle sub-soil. The tree is appox 12m high and is on Coucil
property. I am concerned that the tree could cause damage to the
house. I have written to the Council asking them to inspect it and
possibly replace it with a smaller tree. They have written back
advising they will reduce the crown in June next year and then
inspect
it every 3 years. Is this satisfactory or should I still be
concerned? Any advise would be most welcome!

Its not the crown I would be worried about - although at 12m tall
there is a risk of it wiping tiles off the roof, I would be more
concerned about possible root damage. A 12m tree only 3m from the
house does not sound good to me.

They tend to fall over in gales. We got rid of ours when it was about
15 years old.

Not quite. One of the reasons that they are popular with planners
is that healthy ones DON'T blow over! They have extremely strong and
tenacious roots that get everywhere, and don't catch the wind much.
They are one of the few trees that will grow in really windswept
locations, though perhaps not as windswept as ordinary birch.

However, they aren't phenomenally long-lived trees and attract fungi
(mycorrhizal and parasitic), especially when grown on fertile soils
or when pollarded. And then they DO blow over! Which is why the
council's management strategy is completely cuckoo.

Even in the most fertile soils, they should remain healthy for a lot
longer than 15 years. There are a good many around here that must
be 50.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.