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Islington Tribune - By PETER GRUNER
Published: 9 November 2007

Cllr Kate Dawson with the saved trees

Tree lover stops the axe falling

Campaigner pays for firm of experts to challenge threat to Highbury Fields avenues

A CAMPAIGNER has been hailed as a hero for saving avenues of magnificent plane trees threatened by the axe.
Robin Hull took action when he heard that the Town Hall had been advised to remove the Highbury Fields trees to make way for smaller ones.
Under a strategy called Vision for Highbury Fields, a firm of specialists called for the selective felling of trees whether they were healthy or not.
Mr Hull immediately contacted another firm of specialists and out of his own pocket paid for a new report, which he presented to the council.
This new report contradicted the council’s own study and argued that there were no good reasons for removing perfectly healthy trees that had withstood the ravages of time.
Following much debate, the council’s Greenspaces department finally accepted that plane trees would not be felled unless they were diseased or dying.Mr Hull’s successful campaign is revealed for the first time in the latest edition of Highbury Fields Association newsletter.
Green councillor Katie Dawson said Mr Hull was a hero to most residents who love the London plane trees which dominate avenues around Highbury Fields.
“These are big broad-leaf trees that have been bequeathed by the Victorians and have survived more than 100 years of traffic and fumes,” she added. “They provide shade in the summer and habitat for wildlife.
“Suddenly, some bright spark commissioned by the council decrees that a number of trees should be removed under selective felling and replaced by smaller specimens. It would have happened too had it not been for Robin Hull.
“Robin not only commissioned his own survey and paid for it out of his own pocket, but also followed it up with hours of meetings with councillors and officers.
“There were attempts to fob him off but he was resolute in his belief that there were no good reasons to chop down healthy trees.”
Cllr Dawson added: “It shows the council shouldn’t always accept the first opinion that comes along just because it might suit them.
“People need to be reminded that Islington has the least amount of open space after the City of London. Highbury Fields needs to be cherished and maintained as it is and not ruined or messed about under someone’s vision.”
But there is now a proposal to cut back and reduce the crowns of many of the trees so the area can be covered by CCTV.
Mr Hull said: “This would encourage aggressive pruning in the name of safety, using trees as just another consumer item. It would have the effect of leaving us with stark tree trunks that are visually undesirable and depressing.”

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