Tree felling planned in Parks on 29 October
The arboricultural team of the University Parks and external contractors will be cutting down a tree along the bank of the River Cherwell in the University Parks on Saturday 29 October
This is a large poplar that grows out over the river, around halfway between Parson's Pleasure and the Rainbow Bridge - the location is shown by the red circle on the included map. The tree has been leaning at an increasing angle in recent years. The team are now worried that unless something is done, it will eventually fall into the river, blocking it and potentially endangering anyone below.
Work to remove the tree will start early on Saturday 29 October and will either be finished that day or continue into the first part of Sunday. This will mean a short section of Riverside Walk is cordoned off for safety. The river will remain open for those in boats on the affected days, but staff will be keeping watch up- and downstream, and will stop anyone from approaching during potentially dangerous periods.
Some of the tree will be chipped and used as mulch around the park, while contractors will remove the timber for use elsewhere. A replacement tree will be planted in due course.
Users of the park are asked to obey the footpath closure and diversion notices, and to allow the contractors to work undisturbed.
Update 31 October: the tree has now been safely felled. As the added cross-section photo shows (right), there was a large crack running along its trunk that would inevitably have caused the tree to fail eventually.
