The photo above shows the stump of one of Pearson Park’s evergreen oak trees. Not a victim of the gales recently (s.p.b.) but rather of the unrelenting rain. The mature tree, almost certainly dating from the original planting of the 1860s, was a victim of its own ‘design’ in that with clinging-on to much of its leaves its weight was increased and in waterlogged soils and with an angled rather than vertical trunk it was too top heavy. On the morning it fell there was no more than a gentle breeze. This photo was taken the following day so Hull City Council’s direct labour force responded promptly and effectively. As can be seen, the tree, as evidenced in the trunk profile, was not diseased. The tree was one of four oaks of a similar age in the municipal park, this variety of oak never looses all its leaves in winter, this meaning it was a holm oak or Luscombe oak, the latter developed as a hybrid by a nurseryman in Exeter in the late 18th century.
The local authority has a stated policy of planting three young trees within its boundary for every one felled/lost. Apparently there are plans to plant some young trees in the Park over the winter, as previously discussed in these posts, the effectiveness of such plantings depends on the size of the young tree and on the quality of the support and protection the young tree is given.
I heard on a radio programme this morning that seemingly endless rainfall is a cause of concern in western Ireland! What an autumn.
(to be continued).