I have written before about the value and merit of identifying the true assets within a potential development site. Usually, I am asked to survey trees on a site prior to development. I have been asked to advise on management of trees on two sites where development had been approved and commenced. What was interesting with both sides was the attempt to retain trees which were unsuited for this in the attempt to reassure planners of the sustainable nature of the proposed development. When the true assets are identified, the process flows more smoothly.
There are occasions when trees of value need to be removed. When I formerly worked as a tree officer, the policy was generally to require three trees be planted for each tree removed. This may sound good. However, I soon realised that, if the tree proposed for removal is a mature Beech or London Plane, it is not readily replaced, and even three replacement London Plane trees do not fully mitigate for the loss of the one. There are ways to more realistically value such trees to enable proportionate replacement plantings. When this was properly considered for applications I considered as a tree officer, my support was very likely.
There are then those assets that are priceless. Ones that are irreplaceable, such as Ancient Woodland. This is woodland which has been present for at least the past 400 years, ie since 1600. Some has existed for considerably longer. The ecology is unique, with soil that has not been cultivated and contains flora and fauna that is not only irreplaceable but also almost impossible to move to another site. To appreciate its value, it is interesting to note that for every Hectare of ancient woodland which may be lost for HS2, ten hectares of woodland will be planted, and that is a compromise on the fourteen hectares that the Woodland Trust was requesting.
To paraphrase a commercial for a credit card, ‘some things are priceless. For everything else, we can mitigate’