Protected woodland

[JandM]

My garden includes a third of an acre of oak woods which, the notaire pointed out on completion, is protected as part of the wider landscape. I've no problem with that, but there are two large acacias in amongst them which I'm dying to get rid of. 

Shall I just cut them down, or do you think I ought to go down the formal route and seek permission, risking it being refused. Anyone know about the law as it applies, and is applied, here? Does the protection cover each individual tree, or just the wood?

Opinions much appreciated.

[Pierre ZFP]

Who would notice, who would care if two acacias suddenly 'died' ?

[Joe]

I cut down 28 Lyandi last year .Ok

[Polly]

Without sight of the relevant legal paperwork I don't see how anyone here can give you accurate advice.

Surely your best course of action is to simply ask the notaire?

[Tony F Dordogne]

I may be able to help without seeing the paperwork.  I actually live in an area which is protected woodland and own a large protected wood and I'm also responsible for the protected woodland in my commune as a councillor - it's an interest of mine.

You are allowed to manage the woodland without getting permission from the mairie.  Therefore cutting and thinning trees is allowed - recently a neighbour of mine has cleared his patch of protected woodland to use the wood domestically and there was no need for him to get permission at all.

The protected status usually means that CU will never be granted for that plot.  I coppice and cut wood in my woods regularly and don't have to get permission to do so.

Hope that helps.

[JandM]

Thanks for the responses. I think I'm going to bite the bullet and get the chainsaw out without asking anyone on the basis that it's just routine woodland management. I'm not even sure if anyone will notice, so I've probably been over cautious. I'll post the cautionary tale if I get prosecuted!

Well done Joe for getting rid of the leylandii - they're even worse than acacias.

James

[woolybanana]

Hang on, cutting acacias is not so easy as they will put up runners just about everywhere and you will have a problem forever which will over whelm other trees. Get some advice first.

[JandM]

You're right there. I cut down an enormous acacia in a lawn a few years ago. I killed the remains of the trunk with stump killer, but the roots carried on pushing up suckers for another four years - some of them more than ten metres from the original tree. It was fairly easy in grass because you can just mow over them and eventually the plant runs out of energy and gives up, but in a wood it's going to be more difficult. I think you just have to remain vigilent and systematically take out the new growth as soon as you see it. Unless someone knows of a better way..

[Polly]

[quote user="Tony F Dordogne"]

I may be able to help without seeing the paperwork.  I actually live in an area which is protected woodland and own a large protected wood and I'm also responsible for the protected woodland in my commune as a councillor - it's an interest of mine.

You are allowed to manage the woodland without getting permission from the mairie.  Therefore cutting and thinning trees is allowed - recently a neighbour of mine has cleared his patch of protected woodland to use the wood domestically and there was no need for him to get permission at all.

The protected status usually means that CU will never be granted for that plot.  I coppice and cut wood in my woods regularly and don't have to get permission to do so.

[/quote]

I beg to disagree: whilst a description of your particular situation is interesting, it is of no practical use to the OP as you (and we) have no idea whether his protected woodland has the same status as yours.

[Tony F Dordogne]

Polly I think that protected in this instance is covered by a national law but there may be some local ordanance which covers that particular woodland.  Instead of a paying visit to the Notaire, perhaps the OP should just visit their Mairie and ask there?

[Polly]

That's it, Tony! You 'think' but you cannot be sure what the OP's situation is. Notaire or Mairie : depends on how good his Mairie is, some Mairies really haven't got a clue, others are excellent.

BTW, what's the significance of the emblem you use for your avatar?

[Tony F Dordogne]

Out of interest I've looked at our deeds and there's nothing in there about the woods being protected at all, just about the ownership.  Whilst I was in the Marie this morning I looked at the cadastre and the woods all around are shown as being protected so the cadastre would seem to be a good place to start.

But that doesn't detract from management which is, according to my locals, a given, especially when there are so many regulations about controlling woodlands in case of fire.

Polly, it's the Huguenot Cross.

[Russethouse]

[:)] I know that one, its a Huguenot cross and Tony is an expert in Huguenot history

[Polly]

Thank you!

[JandM]

Well, speaking as the OP, Tony F has been of some practical use in a way, in that his post helped me decide to go ahead with giving the trees the chop. I was looking for opinions rather than legal advice.

[Grumpy]

Oh dear, bash leylandii time again.  There's nothing wrong with the tree that a sensible owner can't control.  Grown as a single tree it has a beautiful shape, can have an interestin variety of colours, is great for nesting birds with its dense foliage and tight branching and the cracky bark is good for insects and provides colour all year round.

As an "instant hedge" it is good provided you the owner of the hedge look after it as necessary because being a hybrid it grown fast (which is why people want it) which means you must trim it regularly as it can grow at 2m a year!

Grumpy

[dragonrouge]

Ah Grumpy remember ours at Mont Robin where they were needed for the gale force winds even in August. The birds loved them so they stayed. As far as I know the new owners who are also wild life lovers have kept them.

[Hoddy]

Might their be a commercial value to your acacia trees ? I have an acacia wood floor. That way you could get them felled for free.

Hoddy

[JandM]

I'd never thought of that possibility. The acacias are certainly large with long straight trunks. But I'd have no idea who to speak to to find out of this might be feasible. Anyone got any ideas?

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Grumpy"]Oh dear, bash leylandii time again. 
As an "instant hedge" it is good provided you the owner of the hedge look after it as necessary because being a hybrid it grown fast (which is why people want it) which means you must trim it regularly as it can grow at 2m a year!

Grumpy
[/quote]

 

Not so good when the previous owner has ignored the need to trim though.   Radical surgery to height and thickness leaves a terrible appearance. Leylandii also can cause painful skin reaction. Thats why ours are all coming out.