Landlord won't let me remove one sycamore tree!

Rudders74 said:
I hope all these angry comments armt aimed at me. I did say when I started the thread I had communicated with the agent in the appropriate manner to ask the question and have to date been hand picking all the seeds and shoots. ��
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Not at all, you have asked, they have replied and you have 2 options. There are several comments about drilling into trees, ring barking etc.
 
Whilst I understand the OP's concerns, it really does worry me that sycamore trees are just getting chopped down left right and centre. I find it extremely sad. I am with the land owner on this one. Not sure but it sounds as though the horse is on its own too, in which case moving to another yard/field without sycamores and with company might be the best solution.
 
Bear in mind also that it's not all sycamore species that are dangerous. I would go with the netting idea personally. The kind that attaches to the trunk and radiates out like a rotary washing line.
 
OldNag said:
Mmm I just might have done that a few years ago... had a very strange neighbour who had an enormous tree right next to our fence. It really overshadowed our side. He didn't live in his house, just came to mow the lawn (and always wire camouflage to do so!).

My then OH just might have accidentally drilled his tree and injected SBK into it....... ooopsie.
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This is illegal and petty. Why not just call the council and ask them to get him to trim it back off your lands?!
 
Fransurrey said:
Bear in mind also that it's not all sycamore species that are dangerous. I would go with the netting idea personally. The kind that attaches to the trunk and radiates out like a rotary washing line.
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How can one find out which tree they have?
 
Tree surgeon should be able to help. Or, if the tree does have a preservation order, the local planning office should be able to help as the species will be on the order.
 
windand rain said:
I am with the agent on this this random destruction of the landscape really upsets me those trees have history and are upwards of 100 years old If you are worried remove the horse not the tree. This vandalism is horrendous. I f I was the agent or landlord your tenency would get short shrift and you would be out quicker than you can tell me your name if it accidentally on purpose was damaged or destroyed in any way. Yes I have horses but also love the countryside as it is and nearly all the large trees are struggling enough with environment changes and disease they now have to contend with panic stricken horse owners who think it is ok to kill them
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Thank goodness someone said it. Some of the previous posters are inciting criminal damage and totally out of order.
 
oh my goodness, please can we end this post. I really was trying to be conscientious about The dangers of AM I didnt realise it was going to start all this. I also didn't ask for judgements about the company my pony has or hasn't, she has horses two feet from her as we speak, the other side of electric fencing. The tree is on my property hence me thinking about all options, not my neighbours whose horses are next door. The prevailing wind blows mostly onto my stable/turnout area.
 
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Rudders74 - don't get so het up! Unfortunately some people do get a bit fanatical over trees - I've done it myself when the hornbeams that border one side of my field were threatened earlier this year (they've been damaged, possibly fatally by the next door landowner). Also there are always people that will have a go at how you keep your horses without knowing all the facts.

Anyway, I think what has been established is that you are stuck with the tree - so I'd suggest ignoring the posts you don't like (you need a thick skin sometimes on this board) and the ones inciting criminal behaviour and just have a think about what you can do to minimise the amount of time you spend clearing up after it! I shouldn't think the estate owner would have a problem with some 'seasonal' electric fencing if you explain how sick your horse could get.
 
3OldPonies said:
Rudders74 - don't get so het up! Unfortunately some people do get a bit fanatical over trees - I've done it myself when the hornbeams that border one side of my field were threatened earlier this year (they've been damaged, possibly fatally by the next door landowner). Also there are always people that will have a go at how you keep your horses without knowing all the facts.

Anyway, I think what has been established is that you are stuck with the tree - so I'd suggest ignoring the posts you don't like (you need a thick skin sometimes on this board) and the ones inciting criminal behaviour and just have a think about what you can do to minimise the amount of time you spend clearing up after it! I shouldn't think the estate owner would have a problem with some 'seasonal' electric fencing if you explain how sick your horse could get.
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Thank you, I hate confrontation, like to keep everyone happy me 😉
 
Tree prteservation orders are not an issue as any tree over a certain size now requires a felling licence to remove it. As for all those vandals on this thread please remember the landlord owns the tree and would probably rather have the tree than the horse. There are lots of ways of managing this situation without removing the tree if its not sycamores it will be something else very soon.
 
equi said:
This is illegal and petty. Why not just call the council and ask them to get him to trim it back off your lands?!
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It was a ginormous leylandii in my neighbour's garden that had got very out of hand was blocking light to both houses (semi detached). . As neighbour's house was empty - he lived somewhere else - it didn't affect him and he wouldn't do anything about it. so my then husband decided to do something about it.
 
I am presuming that the OP has had her horse(s)/pony on the land in question for some time, certainly well before the advent of the dreadful frequency of EAM........ rather than recently taking on the grazing knowing the risks of sycamore trees but still putting horses on it......... ?????

I am being charitable and assuming that the former is the case. If so then I am sure we are all feeling for her plight as she must be very worried, as any of us would be in a similar situation.

She has asked the landlord/agent if the tree can be felled - but the answer has come back negative, even though the landlord's wife/partner is an equine vet. This is a huge pity, but it is very likely that this woman does not have anything to do with the field letting concern - and probably sets it aside for someone else to deal with on purpose so she can stay focussed on her "other job".

OP has asked and been refused, and cannot insist that the tree be felled...... sorry, but that's the harsh and very unfortunate brutal truth of the situation. Unless OP owns the land and the tree, there is nothing further that can be done. She has asked, and been told "no"............ so next step is either to manage the situation as best as can be (and take any associated risks associated with the presence of the equines on the land), OR surely to find alternative grazing??

As a YO myself, I have every sympathy with the OP; if I had a sycamore tree on my land then I would give serious consideration to acceding to this sort of request. But she has to weigh up the risks and continual worry of keeping her pony/horses on an area where there may be significant risk.

My own reaction in this sort of situation would be to find somewhere else in this situation TBH.

The landlord may well find that if he is trying to let his field as a designated "equine" grazing/livery area, that very likely the place will remain vacant, as no-one will be prepared to take it on with the sycamore tree and the associated risks to their animals......... so it might well be a case of being bitten-on-the-bum, sort of thing........
 
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Am I wrong then in thinking if there is decent grazing horses won't choose sycamore? Also, just to play devils advocate, if someone values the sycamore tree, move your horse, it surely isn't a case of horse is more important than life of tree?
 
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Sycamores are an invasive weed species of tree. I would fell one as soon as look at it. They are the "Japanese Knot weed " of the tree world . They arnt even a native tree. The timber is worthless even for firewood. Kill them all!
 
I use my neighbours paddock (about an acre). Last year someone told them about the problems sycamores can cause horses so they told me I was welcome to remove any trees in their paddock. Thank goodness there aren't any sycamore trees in there although they do have 3 large oaks that I fence off at appropriate times.
 
If I move into a house next to a knackery, I can hardly complain about the smell.

I someone moves in next door to me and decides to start up and operate a knackery as his business, I can legitimately complain and will probably get something done about it.

If the tree was there when the OP moved in, they have accepted it -- whether they knew about the dangers or not. The law does not reward ignorance.
 
Mike007 said:
Sycamores are an invasive weed species of tree. I would fell one as soon as look at it. They are the "Japanese Knot weed " of the tree world . They arnt even a native tree. The timber is worthless even for firewood. Kill them all!
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Ahh, this is the thinking around these parts, too where there's a big drive for native woodlands and wildlife Nothing much lives in a sycamore tree.
 
ozpoz said:
Ahh, this is the thinking around these parts, too where there's a big drive for native woodlands and wildlife Nothing much lives in a sycamore tree.[/QUOTE

If there is no other trees a sycamore will provide more 'habitat' than nothing. I have managed to persuade my OH to not flail the young oaks growing in our field hedges, we now have some small trees appearing. I think there will be a problem in years to come when old trees start dying off and all the young ones have never managed to get above hedge height. Oak trees support a huge amount of biodiversity.
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Sycamores are big weeds - we have a garden full of them. Contrary to the posts above it does make good firewood, so long as it is allowed to season for at least 12mths, and at least one species really likes them - the older trees form cracks and holes in the trunks and branches and are ideal bat habitat.
 
pennyturner said:
Sycamores are big weeds - we have a garden full of them. Contrary to the posts above it does make good firewood, so long as it is allowed to season for at least 12mths, and at least one species really likes them - the older trees form cracks and holes in the trunks and branches and are ideal bat habitat.
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We think they make good firewood too.
 
Our neighbours have a massive sycamore tree which overhangs our house and it's leaning quite precariously and several tree surgeons have recommended removing it but the council won't let them (it's TPO'd). Now I love trees but that's just silly.
 
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