Detailed Tree Inspection Report Client:

Peterborough City Council

Amey Reference:

16404DTIJW

Site Details:

Cherry Orton Road, Peterborough

Unique Amey ID:

16404

Species:

Fraxinus excelsior (Ash)

Date:

31 July 2017

TPO / Con Area:

Con Area

Report Prepared By:

John Wilcockson

Report Reviewed By:

Colin Last

Limitations of use and copyright: All rights in this report are reserved. No part of it may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in any retrieval system of any nature, without our written permission. Its content and format are for the exclusive use of the addressee in dealing with this site. It may not be sold, lent, hired out or divulged to any third party not directly involved in this site without the written consent of Amey. Copyright © Amey Tree Services Team 2014

1 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 3 July 2017 Findings ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................. 20 Crown ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Buttresses ............................................................................................................................................... 20

2 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Introduction This report has been prepared as part of an ongoing 3-year monitoring program on a mature Ash located at the bottom of Cherry Orton Road adjacent to Oundle Road. Due to concerns surrounding its health, size and location in relation to health & safety, the tree has been monitored by Amey staff over the last 5 years with an in-depth inspection carried out on 28th November 2016. A further in depth inspection was carried out on July 20th & 25th 2017 by John Wilcockson & Colin Last. Background As part of the inspection in 2016, a PICUS test was carried out at the base of the tree along with Resistograph tests of the buttresses, these tests were carried out to determine whether or not there was any significant internal decay and a report (Ref: 16404DTIPCL) published. The report concluded at that time that there was insufficient evidence to support removing the tree. The findings are summarised as below, these to be read in conjunction with the 2016 report.

3 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Detail of 2016 tree survey Unique asset ID: 16404 Species: Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) OS Grid Ref: TL19-5692-6580 CAVAT Value: £219,508 Ward West Inspector COL Height: Spread: Trunk: Age:

18.0m 12.0m 150cm Over Mature

Vigour: SLE: Failure: Target: Impact: Recommendations: Crown Clean, End weight reduction by 15% Conditions:Crown - Major Deadwood > 100mm Crown - Minor Deadwood < 100mm Crown – Cavity Scaffold Crown – Large pruning wounds Crown - Frequent pruning wound FUNPR – Stem/Base – Perenniporia fraxinea* FUNIH – Stem/Base – Inonotus hispidus* Risk Category: Slight Risk Risk Factor: 200 Priority: 3 months

Good (75%) 20 - 40 years Potential/Time High Severe (VL)

4 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

July 2017 Findings Unique asset ID: 16404 Species: Fraxinus excelsior (Ash) OS Grid Ref: TL19-5692-6580 CAVAT Value: Ward West Inspector JMW Height: 18.0m Spread: 12.0m Trunk: 150cm Age: Over Mature

Vigour: Good (75%) SLE: under 5 years Failure: Probable/soon Target: High Impact: Severe (VL) Recommendations: Health & Safety Tree Dismantling Conditions:Crown - Major Deadwood > 100mm Crown - Minor Deadwood < 100mm Crown – Cavity Scaffold Crown – Large pruning wounds Crown - Frequent pruning wound Crown – die back FUNPR – Stem/Base – Perenniporia fraxinea FUNIH – Stem/Base – Inonotus hispidus (Historic ID) Risk Category: Significant Risk Factor: 2000 Priority: 4 weeks

The focus of this inspection was to compare the overall health of the tree against previous photographic evidence and to investigate the 2 large buttresses that are facing Cherry Orton Road.

5 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

As can be seen in the photographs below, there is a larger area of die back in the upper crown 2017 (left image) compared to the 2nd photo taken in September 2016 (this is not down to image quality).

6 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

7 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Additional to this, the photographs below show a decline in the health of the large south facing scaffold. 2017

8 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

2016

9 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

The photographs below show a comparison of the basal fungal activity 28 months on – note the spread to the south and the overall increase in size. March 2015

10 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

July 2017

11 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

The 2 buttresses (circled in red in the photograph) were probed just below the brackets with a 40cm screwdriver to determine how sound they are.

12 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Full length probe

13 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Sequenced photographs taken around both buttresses.

14 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

15 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

16 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

17 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

18 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

19 Detailed tree inspection report for Peterborough City Council at Cherry Orton Road, Orton Waterville, Tree 16404

Conclusions Crown

It is evident from the findings on site and the photographs that the die-back has increased over the last 12 months. It is possible that this is due to the tree “shutting down” less productive areas and concentrating energy into the healthier parts of the crown. This is an indication that the tree is in decline. Buttresses

Trees increase the size of buttresses as a strengthening mechanism as a direct reaction to external forces created by wind. In simple terms, they put down large “toes” or “feet” to help improve stability and combat the pressures exerted by the prevailing wind. The root system on the western side of the tree appears to be unhindered and will no doubt spread into the nearby tree belt. On the eastern (Cherry Orton Road) side of the tree, it would appear that historically, roots were possibly severed to facilitate the installation of the road along with the field drain which is why there is a drop in levels. Perhaps the buttresses are a direct result of these works. If this is the case, then the severed roots could also be the obvious point of fungal infection. The probe was easily inserted into a depth of 20cm on both buttresses before any resistance was encountered. It is accepted that the tree is infected with Perenniporia fraxinea, this pathogen has particularly high destructive potential. It is most renowned for the fact it was the cause of three deaths in Birmingham in December 1999, when the mature ash (weighing in at 15,000kg and estimated to be 180 years old) that was host to this fungus failed and fell onto two cars waiting at traffic lights. Perenniporia fraxinea causes an intense white rot at the butt (lower stem and principal roots) of its host. Ultimately, the decayed wood from the lower stem and main roots is left increasingly prone to failure. The latest THREATS score of 2000 now places this tree in the significant category and as such, I recommend that it is felled within 4 weeks.

John Wilcockson 31/7/2017

Amey plc | company number 2379479 | registered in England & Wales Registered address at The Sherard Building, Edmund Halley Road, Oxford, OX4 4DQ www.amey.co.uk

Tree Details - by Site

Ash - Cherry Orton Road junct Oundle Road Dated: 31/07/2017 at 15:34 Page 1

Cherry Orton Road 1 Tree Number

Common name

Trunk

Recommendations

Sgl/1 (016404)

Ash

150cm

Stump Treatment Treated Health & Safety Tree Dismantling Total:

1 trees

Notes:Overall total:

1 trees

-

Cherry Orton Road 1