The chair of Friends of Stationers Park received online criticism for his support of the council decision to chop down a willow tree, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

The felled willow tree in Stationer's Park — The felled willow tree in Stationers Park

The chair of a friends group has resigned amid ongoing disagreements over the felling of trees in a Hornsey park.

Chris Arnold has announced he is stepping down from his position as chair of the Friends of Stationers Park following controversy over the council’s decision to fell a large willow and 15 smaller trees last month.

He said he supported the cutting down of the willow – which Haringey Council said was necessary because it was showing “serious defects and urgent work was needed to prevent it collapsing” – but had received criticism online from people he claimed were “misinformed” and had decided to step down as a result.

After the willow was felled, local campaign group Haringey Tree Protectors asked Jeff Duckett, emeritus professor of botany at Queen Mary University of London, to inspect the tree.

Following his inspection, Professor Duckett wrote in a report that he strongly disagreed about the grounds for the felling, adding that there was “no significant decay visible in the cut ends of the three trunks”.

He continued: “Picus tomography tests would have clearly confirmed the soundness of the trunks and been much cheaper than the felling costs […] I am at a complete loss as to why one of the best trees in the park has been felled on the flimsiest of grounds”.

Haringey Tree Protectors criticised what it claimed was the council’s “poor communications and transparency” around the felling.

However, Chris said he was there at the first inspection of the willow and it was “justifiably classified as ‘dangerous to life’”.

He added: “It sits opposite a primary school and the park area that is well used, so if it fell, we’d have serious casualties and possible deaths.”

The council has also come under fire for chopping down 15 trees in the same park as part of its plans to refurbish the tennis courts.

It comes shortly after the council, government and Lawn Tennis Association announced joint investment of almost £447,000 to renovate courts at five sites in the borough.

Mike Hakata, the council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, environment and transport, said the 15 “poor quality” trees were “overhanging and causing damage to the existing court and would do the same when it was renovated”. He added that the plans “were co-designed and agreed with the Friends of Stationers Park”.

But Chris said the friends group didn’t know that the 15 trees were going to be felled. He added that the group was “miffed” but had “agreed a proposal to plant 20 new trees in the park, including apple trees”.

Commenting on the decision to fell the willow tree, Cllr Hakata said it “was showing serious defects and urgent work was needed to prevent it collapsing”, with “visible decay” and “large, vertical cracks” making it “unstable and hazardous”.

He said the council could not put the public at risk and “had no option other than to act”.

Cllr Hakata added: “The hazardous nature of the tree was spotted at a site visit with the chair of the Friends of Stationers Park, so the friends group is aware that urgent action was necessary to make the area safe. There is no connection between the removal of the willow tree and the tennis court refurbishment.”

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