Warwickshire landowner explains why landmark trees were felled

A LANDMARK avenue of poplar trees planted for a long-lost matchstick business has been felled in the name of safety, backed by a solemn pledge that replanting will take place with longer-lasting species.

Tanworth residents were quick to voice concern that trees were being removed along the driveway to Umberslade Farm – a landmark view from the Stratford to Birmingham railway line that crosses it close to Danzey station– but the work has gone ahead with the owners telling the Herald it was an agonising decision they had to take.

Robert Muntz said: “Although privately owned, the mile drive is a much-used public footpath and vehicular access to the Umberslade Farm. The poplars have been inspected on a number of occasions and increasingly the warnings have been there that the trees would need to be removed due to internal decay, fungus growth and substantial deadwood. We cannot ignore such advice so we looked at all options for thinning, removal of the tops, and other phased felling before deciding that clear felling was the only way forward.

“We obtained a felling licence from the Forestry Commission last year but before we could take action there were the usual winter storms, particularly Storm Darragh just before Christmas and we lost half a dozen of these poplars then. These trees fell right across the drive but fortunately there were no cars or walkers passing at the time.

“We could not take the risk of a recurrence in future storms, so felling work was planned for as soon as the ground would be dry enough to take the machinery.”

And he explained that it was not just nearby residents affected.

“The decision has been an exceptionally hard one to take for the family, we have all grown up with the trees there and like all users of the drive we are very upset that this had to happen.

“There is no money or profit in the operation due to the low value of poplar wood – the trees were planted by Fred Muntz in the 1950s for harvesting for matchsticks but that market subsequently moved to Scandinavia so the trees were simply left in place and became a very attractive tree lined avenue.

“However poplars are not a long lived tree – about 50-70 years is a good lifespan, after which they decay, become brittle and are at risk of dropping substantial deadwood, and breaking or uprooting in high winds.

“We are proposing to plant an avenue of lime trees with some oak and hornbeam which we hope will in time be a fitting replacement for the poplars, and with a far longer lifespan.”