Sir, The British Standards Institution’s proposal to check the safety of all garden trees (report, June 20) overlooks the very low risk posed by trees to the public. The Health and Safety Executive indicates that on average half a dozen people in the UK are killed a year by trees falling on them and only three people by trees in public places. This means the average risk of a tree causing a death is about one in 150 million for all UK trees or one in 10 million for trees in public places.

Country Land & Businesss Association (CLA) members own or manage more than half the land in England and Wales. We value the contribution trees make to the environment and landscape. However, landowners are being driven into unnecessary, costly practices in managing their trees which are out of proportion to the actual risk of harm being caused by the trees. It is really a case of actual risk being vastly less than perceived risk.

Of course trees can never be made completely safe. However, tree consultants are often under an unrealistic pressure to certify a tree as safe. This in turn leads to them being too cautious and prescribing excessive, invasive remedial work.

William Worsley
Deputy president, CLA

Sir, These proposals would unleash a chainsaw massacre. Febrile tree felling would be a further blow to Britain’s already diminishing wild bird population, and would bring an abrupt end in many gardens and neighbourhoods to daily birdsong which can revive the soul and makes the spirit sing.

Mark Pritchard, MP
House of Commons,
London SW1

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