There is, hopefully, a growing acceptance of the value of trees in the context of global warming. But trees also have a value to local communities that is yet to be fully appreciated.
When local councils cut down trees without a proper understanding of the feelings of the local community they are surprised by the reaction, as happened in Sheffield and Plymouth. And the widespread condemnation of the recent senseless vandalism that has seen the destruction of the iconic Sycamore by Hadrian’s Wall must surely not be dismissed as a mere emotional outburst by a bunch of tree huggers.
Every action has a consequence, and it is sometimes helpful to quantify that consequence by giving it a monetary value.
Capital Asset Valuation of Amenity Trees (CAVAT) is a method by which a monetary value of the amenity value of a tree can be calculated. Knowing the value of a tree in this way can be particularly helpful in urban situations, as here in Witham, where several trees are subject to a Tree Protection Order (TPO). Trees protected in this way cannot be pruned or felled without planning permission.
But a TPO protects in other ways. A developer of a site on which there are protected trees must ensure that building activity is conducted in a manner that will not adversely impact the continued well being of those trees. A developer who causes a protected tree to die either by wilful or negligent damage caused by building activity should therefore face penalties. In such cases the CAVAT system is available to Local Authority Tree Officers to secure adequate and appropriate financial compensation.
Here in Witham we have a number of developments taking place in and around our town.The Witham Tree Group are monitoring this development activity and will draw to the attention of our local authorities any case where we believe that building activity is having a detrimental impact on protected trees.
Allan Waight
October 2023
