Jump to content

Permission to cut down a tree?


Elle Gee
 Share

Recommended Posts

We have a huge Lime (Tilia) tree in our courtyard. It dates from 1848 - the date is carved into the stone surround. Unfortunately it is very badly cracked, so it is hollow for a long way down. It has been poorly pollarded over the years, so it is very lopsided and really ugly, let alone dangerous. I hate to cut down a tree as old as this, but really have no option.

My question is do I need to get permission from the mairie to cut it? Anyone had experience with this? I am in the Dordogne.

many thanks
Link to comment
Share on other sites

With respect, I think that you've answered your own question.

Pop in to the Mairie and talk to them - they'll almost certainly say "Go ahead". If they have a better idea, then fine.  However, safety is more important, particularly as you don't appear to be talking about an act of vandalism.

Most French wouldn't even bother to ask.

Let us know the outcome.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Gardian"]

With respect, I think that you've answered your own question.

Pop in to the Mairie and talk to them - they'll almost certainly say "Go ahead". If they have a better idea, then fine.  However, safety is more important, particularly as you don't appear to be talking about an act of vandalism.

Most French wouldn't even bother to ask.

Let us know the outcome.

[/quote]

How right you are!

I am writing this with sadness in my heart and murder on my mind!

The new French neighbours have cut down about 100 trees.  So, instead of a secluded bower where we eat and relax, we now have a view of their house.

I wouldn't mind in the least if the house was what the French call "les veilles pierres" with nicely planted gardens.  But no, we are now totally exposed to north winds and a view of their cattle-shed of a house.

I would slit my own throat to be out of this situation.  However, as that would not solve anything, we are looking at spending thousands on screening and planting in order to not have to look at the horror just across a very narrow road.

Excuse me whilst I drown my sorrows and contemplate what we need to do to mitigate this dreadful blow![:'(] 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the sympathy, RH.  There are times in life when you just need a kind word from somebody, you know?

Planning on replacing the gate with a high one in wood and we will perhaps have to use a lower terrace for eating out.  Not so convenient as the upper terrace which is just outside the large kitchen windows for handing out the food but still.........

Going to put some sort of pergola or structure on the lower terrace to make a pleasant eating out area. 

Today he has started burning all that still green stuff he's cut down in the last couple of days and it's raining!  So, lots of acrid smoke and ashes all over my newly cleaned windows, shutters and gardening furniture.  I went to tell him about my asthma and how the smoke is affecting my breathing.  Don't know if he's bothering to think about anyone else than himself.

I am keeping indoors with everything shut (including my mind to what's happening) but there's no denying that I am very down with it all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hang on , Sweets, bonfires are now illegal, full stop. All green waste has to be taken to the local dechetterie. Report the so* to the mairie. And fires used to be forbidden at this time of year as it is, by and large, dangerously dry.

In addition, it is a Sunday when he can only do noisy stuff between 10 and 12, so report the so and so. The there is nuisance, but that may be a private law matter.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So sorry to hear about the screening trees being removed, Sweet; I remember you

talking about those he chopped down on his arrival - I suppose it's the

same one, as surely you couldn't have the ill-luck to have two new

neighbours who are so thoughtless. It's a nasty thing to do, and a pity you both have to change your pleasant routine because of the ugly view.

Like wooly, I thought you had to go off to the dechetterie with green waste - they seem to pounce on anyone burning anything in our area.

Good luck with your plans for improving the other terrace for relaxing on, and with that mammoth task of trying to improve your view of the 'cattle shed'. Hope the smoke doesn't have ill effects on you - and how rotten not to be able to wander outside while the fire is going; smoke smells linger on for so long too. I guess those neighbours won't be on your Christmas card list.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Gardian - I will go and see the mairie and let you know the outcome. I asked my neighbour (French) and he was very surprised that I was even asking!! Said "but it's in YOUR property, so it's your decision!" But he did say that if it was protected in any way it would be in the sale agreement/ title deeds (can't remember which one). But I am still going to check with the mairie - better safe than sorry.

I also found this model letter on the web, which might be useful - re asking for permission

http://www.droitissimo.com/modele-lettre/demande-autorisation-abattage-arbre-commune

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Wooly and dear GG, how you have cheered me up!  If it's illegal, then I am going to write to the maire and ask him what measures I can take.

OH spoke to him this morning and he shrugged at him.  Then I spoke to him but we still had to go out with the dog as the smoke was all pervasive despite shutting all volets and windows.

The car was covered in ash and soot and that was parked at the back of the house and not the front where the fire was.

We have terraces with a roughened surface (for decorative and non-slip purposes) and the ashes are now embedded in the surface.  Not easy to clean and I think I will have to buy a pressure machine to get rid of the horrid black stuff.

You are right, GG, it's still that con who was cutting down trees and burning them and now he has cut down the rest that he didn't manage to do last autumn.

OTOH, we now have Aussies who bought the house opposite and are here for the summer and they are, thankfully, "normal" and polite and are capable of holding their end up in a sensible conversation....all praise to Bobo (as Wooly might say!)

Edit:  just had another thought.  Can anyone point me to the illegality of bonfires so that I can print out the legislation and give a bit of extra oomph to my letter?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Russethouse"]It must be heartbreaking but it has presented you with a terrific opportunity to plant what you really like....and if inspiration doesn't strike, bamboo makes a quick and effective screen .... Bon Chance[/quote]

I'm pretty certain that it is illegal to plant bamboo these days because of it's tendency to become invasive (like Japanese Knotweed or water hyacinthe) 

I can't find the reference to it just now but I'll keep looking.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"]

[quote user="Russethouse"]It must be heartbreaking but it has presented you with a terrific opportunity to plant what you really like....and if inspiration doesn't strike, bamboo makes a quick and effective screen .... Bon Chance[/quote]

I'm pretty certain that it is illegal to plant bamboo these days because of it's tendency to become invasive (like Japanese Knotweed or water hyacinthe) 

I can't find the reference to it just now but I'll keep looking.

 

[/quote]

We have three bamboos, you literally just trim the shoots you don't want, off at ground level.

I don't know about being illegal in the UK it is a reasonably expensive plant....we like t because its evergreen, sways nicely in the breeze and is a great screening plant....and I only have a fairly small garden.......
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bamboo can be seriously invasive. But maybe it depends what variety, now I come to think of it. My late husband came back from one of his filming trips for "Gardeners World" proudly bearing 12 bamboo plants of different varieties. These were shared out between the London and Vendée gardens.

I'd say that the only one that hasn't got ot of control is the pretty black-stemmed variety. The others are rampaging across from one side of the garden to another, lifting paving stones as they go. Their rhizomes forage ceaselessly for new ground, snapping briskly off in my fngers as I try to dig them out.

Bamboo is pretty, and makes a lovely swishing sound in the wind, but I do think it should always be constrained in a trough or a pot.

Angela
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="Loiseau"]Bamboo can be seriously invasive. But maybe it depends what variety, now I come to think of it. My late husband came back from one of his filming trips for "Gardeners World" proudly bearing 12 bamboo plants of different varieties. These were shared out between the London and Vendée gardens.

I'd say that the only one that hasn't got ot of control is the pretty black-stemmed variety. The others are rampaging across from one side of the garden to another, lifting paving stones as they go. Their rhizomes forage ceaselessly for new ground, snapping briskly off in my fngers as I try to dig them out.

Bamboo is pretty, and makes a lovely swishing sound in the wind, but I do think it should always be constrained in a trough or a pot.

Angela[/quote]

Our three are all different, a black, a gold with a kink in the stem and a gold with a green stripe on the cane....we keep them under control by just chopping off the shoots we don't want as we see them.....they are all "clumping" varieties ......some came from a specialist near Richmond.....I guess it depends how much you are prepared to keep on top them and they probably aren't a great plant if you split your time between two properties.......by the time you come back they could have spread just where you don't want them.......

Apart from that I'd love to have a chance to buy a few trees:birch, rowan, robinia etc.......
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting! The circular from the minister was dated 2011, but does mention that there may be exceptions to the rule!! I've just looked on our mairie's website and it still says you can burn between May 16 - June 14 and October 16 - February 14.

All my neighbours were burning last year, but they do abide by the rules re the dates.

Clearly your neighbour burning in September is out of order, regardless of 'exceptions"!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know the regulations regarding bonfires are different if you are in an area with compulsory débroussaillage. Here we can have bonfires up to the end of June and again beginning in October. All of our neighbours have massive piles of stuff which have built up over the summer awaiting the start of the "season".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It varies of course according to the Commune.  Around here, mid-June - mid Sept is the 'closed season' and most abide by that.

The reality is that it has as much to do with the un-socialness of sending up piles of smoke in the holiday season, as any risk of fire in the locality (which is very real at almost any time of the year around here).

I have two braziers and supervise what I burn religiously (it would be suicidal to do otherwise where we are). All my stuff to burn is nice & dry, so 'a little bit, lid on, a lttle bit, lid on' does the trick. Oh and not weekends.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you to everyone and especially to those whose contributions I have not yet had opportunity to acknowledge.

In particular, thanks a lot, Pommier.  That document is very interesting as it mentions particularly damp green materials and when the air is cold and heavy so that the fumes stay around and also annoyance to neighbours, etc.

I shall wait till Sunday and, if he does it again, I will complain formally at the mairie.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sweet17, please do not wait to see if he does it again. IF he does, it will be very bad for you and your husband as it means that you will suffer yet another day of ill health, anger and your property and goods etc getting filthy.

Or maybe you had planned on inviting the Maire, or Prefet or Head of the Gendarmes for lunch and they could 'witness' first hand this horrible family's illegal activities.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sweet 17,although the tree felling by your horrible neighbour may not have affected your other neighbours, there must be some who, like you, are really affected by the smoke from his bonfires.

Would it not be possible to ascertain the feeling of these neighbours, and if they are willing, ask them if they would also sign your letter of complaint to the Maire. The more people who are angry about something, the more likely the Maire is to take some action.

I am saying this because this summer we had cause for complaint about our water supply. All our neighbours signed our letter (which became known as "la Petition") and action was taken within a very few days. It's probably an on-going situation, and we took care to ask a French neighbour to sign the letter first as we're not permanently in France. He's there to deal with Veolia and the President of our Communaute.

I know it's probably much easier for people to gang up against an organisation than a person, but would it be worth trying, do you think?

PS If you're backed up by French neighbours, the Maire can't dismiss your letter as just a moan from those Brits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went down to the mairie this morning (first chance I had to do so) and the maire is going to speak to the mec.

Fortunately, someone else has also complained about the smoke.

I explained how we had to go out for several hours on Sunday because it was impossible to stay at home and how all of our things, terraces, garden furniture, cars, etc were covered in ashes and sticky, tarry black stuff.

I said I wouldn't make an official complaint at the moment but that, if it happened again, I would make a written complaint at prefecture level.

So, fingers crossed for me.....?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...