Who do I ask ......

A friend and I managed to stop a tree being cut down to protect some blue tits as they were in and out of a nest box in the tree. The tree was in the garden of a house owned by a company providing social housing. We contacted this social housing provider and quoted the relevant law and they called off the company who were due to cut the tree down. They told us that they'd researched blue tit nesting times and so wouldn't have the tree cut down until blue tit nesting season was over. I'm glad we managed to stop it to give the birds a chance but it was still sad when the bird box had to be removed and the tree was cut down.

I don't blame you! When I heard that this tree was about to be felled, I was tempted to tie myself to it!!

 

good for you Fern , when I was a kid my mum stopped a local farmer filling in a pond just for the sake off wrote a letter to the local paper and all because he dint want people fishing on his land , so its in the blood not to sit back ...

 

Well done Spruce's Mum!

 

Not sure about this, but don't you have to have a licence to fell any trees

Edit
found this
https://www.google.com/url?q=http:/...ds-cse&usg=AFQjCNED6gn7yHD_w_js051dgMV2tr-JKg

use the serach and ask "felling trees" hope this helps
http://www.forestry.gov.uk/

 

Hi

Reply from RSPB
I have omitted names


Thank you for contacting the RSPB with your query.

You are quite right that felling the trees during the nesting period
would cause distress to any breeding birds. All wild birds, their eggs
and their nests are protected against the Wildlife and Countryside Act.
It is illegal to intentionally take, damage, or destroy the nest of a
wild bird while it is in use or being built. Therefore felling any tree
that contains a nest or removing the nest before felling is also
illegal.

The legal protection only applies to the bird, eggs or nest it does not
apply to the land that the bird uses. So as you have said it would only
be applicable to delay the development rather than oppose it completely.
The local council and/ or developer should take the nesting times into
account but if you are concerned, contacting them directly may be the
best way forward.

I hope this information helps you, and if you require any further
information please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kind Regards

 

Any news on this Spruce?

 

When I lived in Sheffield, a rather dodgy developer firm bought a piece of land near us that had been left wild for years. It was only a few acres, but it was full of all sorts of grasses and flowers and always buzzing with activity from birds, butterflies, bees, and all manner of things.

Planning permission was denied because of this, but in the published statement as to why permission was denied, it clearly stated that if it hadn't been of interest to wildlife, planning permission would have been granted as it was surrounded by existing housing and had not been used for any other purpose for many years. What happened next is so crazy you'll never believe it, but it's true. Diggers rolled in at night, under the cover of darkness, and in a matter of hours it was just a muddy mess. The developers appealed, and lo and behold, after a second inspection of the site, planning permission was granted. Several people saw and heard the JCBs arriving and reported it, but nothing was done, and the only exposure it got was about one paragraph in our community newsletter.

That's only when its in the jurisdiction of the Forestry Commission. The definition is a bit confusing, but as I understand it, its when its a generally wooded area outside of a residual area, and even then, only for trees that either have a preservation order or are more than 10cm (about 4 inches) in diameter on the main trunk measure 1 metre from the floor.

Still, the wildlife and countryside act stuff applies elsewhere too I believe.

 

Hi Fern

Waiting on the planing application to see if it goes ahead I think but I will check it may be the 22 March.

Once this happens I will get going again depending on the outcome

 

4th April I find out, good thing is others have also complained I have found out, not about the ravens but other issues but it all adds up together.

Spruce

 

Good! I'm glad others have complained. That way you're more likely to get a positive outcome. I hope even more people complain by the 4th.

 

its been differed to May from the Council, so at least the Ravens have another 4 weeks of being safe , the planers have had too many objections and something to do with flooding , and have to have a new report made up Council not happy with the information supplied.

I will keep you posted .

ps the independent Councillor that I voted for is also on my side.

Spruce

 

Excellent news!

 

thanks Fern , I knew you would be exited and happy as well as me

 

I was only thinking about your ravens today and wondering if you'd heard anything because I was watching a pair of magpies building a nest in a tree a few gardens away from me. Keep us posted on what happens.