The Access theme works in Poole Park were taken through public consultation and planning process in 2016-17 and are due to start on 24th February 2020. The most significant impact of these works is the replacement of some of the Horse Chestnuts alongside the road.
At the Seldown lodge entrance (town centre end) 23 trees will be removed because they are in long-term decline and the National Lottery Heritage Fund grant provides the opportunity to replant within a new landscape scheme that provides better conditions for the new trees. Additional trees are being removed through the rest of the park as detailed in the table below.
The replacement trees will not be planted until the end of 2020 because planting now when the trees are starting to come out of their dormant phase would be harmful to them and lead to reduced chances of establishment.
The full list and location of trees to be removed and replanted is as follows:
| Trees | Location | Reason |
| 23 Horse Chestnuts removed February 2020. | Seldown entrance to crazy golf course | Trees in decline and diseased. |
| 1 Cherry removed | Near Westfield car park | Very poor health |
| 20 Trees to be replanted in the line of the avenue in improved planting conditions and 5 Trees planted in the soft landscape near west field car park. Including Small-leaved Lime, English Oak and Hornbeam | ||
| 4 Horse Chestnuts, 1 Oak removed February 2020. | War Memorial to Middle gate car park | Trees in decline and diseased. Trees to be replanted in improved conditions. |
| 5 Trees to be replanted in the line of the avenue in improved planting conditions, 6 Trees planted in the soft landscape. Including Small-leaved Lime, English and Pin Oaks and Hornbeam | ||
| 3 Horse Chestnuts removed in February 2020 and 1 Liquid amber next to East Gate Lodge in Autumn 2020. | Middle Gate car park to East gate Lodge | Trees in decline and diseased. Trees to be replanted in improved conditions. The Liquid amber has become too large in close proximity to the Lodge. |
| 9 Trees to be replanted in the line of the avenue in improved planting conditions and 3 Trees planted in the soft landscape. Including Small-leaved Lime, English Oak and Hornbeam | ||
| Group of Conifer trees (17 individual stems) removed in Autumn 2020. | Next to Copse Close car park | This is a lapsed hedge line from the old zoo site, removed to allow better growing conditions for mature trees nearby. |
| 3 Sweet Chestnut Trees planted in the soft landscape near Copse Close car park | ||
| Total Number of trees felled and removed: 33 trees plus the group of conifers. | ||
| Total number of trees planted: 51 | ||
In total 51 semi-mature trees will be planted in this phase of work, with 33 being removed.
All of the trees along and near to the carriage drive were surveyed by a qualified arborist in 2016/17 and the survey includes detail on size, age, condition, health and likely remaining lifespan of the tree. These are then summarised in the following categorisation system
Trees unsuitable for retention. Category U. Those in such a condition that they cannot realistically be retained as living trees in the context of the current land use for longer than 10 years.
Trees to be considered for retention. Category A. Trees of high quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 40 year. Category B. Trees of moderate quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 20 years. Category C. Trees of low quality with an estimated remaining life expectancy of at least 10 years, or young trees with a stem diameter below 150 mm.
- 59% of the 259 trees surveyed were mature or late mature and in the final third of their life expectancy showing the need for new planting.
- Trees recommended for removal for arboricultural reasons means that other trees nearby will benefit from improved growing conditions and overall the amenity value of the remaining trees is improved.
- 15 trees assessed as ‘U’ classification: trees that cannot realistically be retained in the current context for longer than 10 years.
Tree works already undertaken as part of other schemes include:
- 1 no. tree, a mature Hawthorn of low vigour through long term suppression by larger specimens near the War Memorial entrance gates, will be lost due the direct implementation of the development.
- Selective clearing of the vegetation on the islands and near the Freshwater Lakes has resulted in the removal of Alder trees that have a specific strain of disease that is slowly killing off this species.
- Several Horse chestnuts along the avenue have already been removed owing to health and safety reasons.
- At the old swimming pool site at the end of Park Lake Road, over 100 trees were planted during 2019 and early 2020, including Crab Apples , English Oaks, Field Maples and hedgerow trees (including Hawthorn, Birch and Hazel).
- The improvements around the Freshwater Lakes in early 2019 saw 27 trees planted of varying species to complement the lakeside habitat and visual appeal.
The Tree Strategy section of the website contains all documents submitted as part of the planning application:
- Poole Park Life Delivery Phase Tree Strategy 2017-2020 (pdf, 23pp, 1Mb)
- Poole Park Tree Strategy 2020-2070 (pdf, 14pp, 3Mb)
- Tree Survey, Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Tree Protection Scheme (pdf, 45pp, 2Mb)
- Tree Planting Plans (pdf, 5pp, 4Mb)
- Tree Removal and Protection Plans (pdf, 11pp, 4Mb)
Images: Trees to be planted will be ‘semi-mature’, measured at 1m height above ground to a minimum girth of 20cm diameter. Below left English Oak (Quercus Robur) middle Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) and right typical size of tree to be planted.
