Fears branch cutting could damage stressed trees

A farmer working to regenerate soil at a former potato farm has said an enforced date for cutting branches would cause unnecessary damage to trees after a "brutal summer" of drought.

The deadline for the annual branchage - a legal requirement designed to keep roads safe - is set by parish constables and this year falls on Friday.

Organic farmer Nikki de Gruchy criticised being "forced" to cut "already stressed" 30-year-old bows on an "arbitrary date" when it could be delayed to adhere to "conditions on the ground".

Andy Jehan, chairman of the constables committee, said it had been an "unusual summer", they would be happy to "speak to the industry about future years".

He added the 1914 law which dictates the date-setting was "being reviewed".

De Gruchy said she had written to leaders to voice her concerns and urge them to consider branchage dates based on "prevailing conditions on the ground" as opposed to a date "set a year in advance".

The farmer, who in 2023 used an ancient legal injunction to prevent branchage by a road she claimed went through her land, said trees had responded to the heatwave conditions by starting to shed their leaves early, while the bows had "dropped a lot".

She said when trees like the chestnut had shed their nuts she expected these bows to lift in time - removing the need for the same level of cutting.

"If we delay then we don't have to cut as many trees," she added.

She said there needed to be an "update in thinking".

Andy Howell, constable of Trinity, said conditions had been "tough" for farmers, plants and animals.

She said the dates for the branchage were set a year in advance, and the work had to be completed by law.

She said advance planning meant volunteer parishioners who carried out the work could "plan their diaries in advance".

She added: "The parish is extremely grateful to our honorary police and to all our volunteers who give up their valuable time to help our community."

She said the branchage in Trinity would take place on 4 September and noted "other landowners" in the parish had "already completed their branchages".

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