Independent report on tree fall

6 December 2016: An independent arborist’s report into the fall of the Cottonwood, or Black Poplar, tree at Cornwall Park on November 20 has confirmed that degradation of the tree’s internal wood quality that contributed to the fall could not have been detected using standard tree assessment techniques.

The tree had previously been independently inspected in June 2015 by arborists as part of an annual audit and examination of more than 7,000 trees in the park, when it was assessed as having an annual risk of harm of less than one in a million.

At that time the tree was found to be in good health and showing no instability. Testing with a sound hammer did not highlight any acoustic anomalies, indicating that regions of decay identified on its surface were localised and superficial.

The report found that asymptomatic damage to the foot plate and lower root collar of the tree combined with wet soil conditions had contributed to the fall.

Commenting on the report, Michael Ayrton, Park Director said: “We were deeply shocked by this fall, and well aware how traumatic it would have been for the people most directly affected by it, and we are very grateful at it did not cause serious physical injury.

“The Park is committed to high safety standards. We have all mature trees independently assessed by arborists each year who follow proven methodologies used worldwide. We are also commissioning peer review of these processes to see if any further gains can be made.

“As has always been our practice, trees that do not meet the assessment criteria are removed.”

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