TREE SURVEY AND REPORT
For the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Letton
Herefordshire

Prepared by Phi Evans
August 2002

Summary

Eleven trees were recorded which included both native and non native species.

The largest and oldest by far in the survey is an English Yew. There are no very young trees in the churchyard.

The site has a high amenity and wildlife value.

Summary of Recommendations

Some small 'attention to detail' actions would benefit individual trees immediately, such as shifting the compost bins and checking ivy.

Establish a biennial check on all trees to check their health and safety.

Proactive approaches recommend the removal of Cypresses and holly, clearing around the yew tree and planning further planting.

The Client

The Parish Church Council of St John the Baptist. Letton. Contact Mr and Mrs Maddox. Letton via Sue Cooper. Caring for God's Acre project.

The Brief

1. To survey individual trees. or, where appropriate, groups of trees in the churchyard.

2 Where there are particularly large, rare, problematic or distinctive trees within a group they should have an individual record made.

3. To map the location of individuals and groups on an appropriate scale plan.

4. To provide a written report on the safety, amenity value and wildlife value of the individuals and groups together with supporting summary tables.

5. To make recommendations for tree surgery and other tree maintenance work required improving safety consistent with maintaining the amenity and wildlife value of individual trees and groups of trees.

6. To prioritise:

a.) Urgent to do now

b.) needs to be done but not urgently

c.) to do if funds permit

7 . To provide guidance costings for any recommendations

8. To make PCC's aware of their legal responsibilities regarding tree surgery arising from the recommendations

Caring for God's Acre Project

First started in Shropshire this project promotes the conservation. enhancement and enjoyment of the natural and built features in churchyards. The project, now a registered charity, has now been extended to parishes in the Hereford and Worcestershire Diocese: and is ecumenical. embracing all faiths.

The Survey

Eleven trees have been included in this survey. The survey concentrates on the major tree species only. rather then shrubs, and includes all trees from the oldest to the most recent. Please refer to the sketch map for locations.

The 'vital statistics' of the trees are recorded along with broad assessments of their value for wildlife and amenity. Their condition is also assessed and recorded. Generally at Letton they are in very good health' This survey does not try to age trees precisely by taking a measurement and calculating a rate of growth. as this can be misleading. Trees have different rates of growth and respond to many factors; such as water and nutrient availability, how close they are to other trees. what species or family they belong to. the effect of pests. diseases and past management of them. Instead broad categories provide a guide to the age of the tree population in the churchyard.

Site Description

The compact building of St John the Baptist is in the north of the churchyard. with the all trees in the survey to the west east or south. A path bisects the site from East to West. and the boundaries are mainly stone walls.

The distribution of the trees is far from regular. with the False Acacia to the \\'est. but the rest either form a group around the Yew or as part of the line of conifers on the east boundary running along side a wall. The effect of this is a churchyard that is both sheltered and attractively light. At the time of surveying the open section has been left uncut and had a very prettv diversity of grass species and wild flowers. (It is important to regard the site as a whole in terms of the nature conservation value, and there is no doubt that the combination of open and wooded space provides a rich habitat for many plants and animals.)

Individual trees

Please refer to the tables at the end of this report for a summary of the tree descriptions. The survey found that the tree population has a limited age range. that is to say there were no very young newly planted trees. Some species will be slow to grow, for example holly, however. the cypresses on the East boundary are probably younger, but of a similar height and dimension.

The yew tree was by far the giant in terms of girth. It is most certainly the oldest but also the most 'managed' - its fatness is partly the result of having been pollarded in the past ( limbs cut back and allowed to regrow usually about shoulder height ). It shows signs of burry growth where many side shoots have sprung from the main stem.

The false acacia. no. one is also a large tree, but a fast growing species. and is forked at the very base.

Some trees look as if they are self sown. The clumps of Holly and the hawthorn, nos. two to seven, are rather close together, and the holly especially have the appearance of being overgrown root suckers. They are intermingled with the gravestones.

Trees, nos. eight to eleven, are a Lawson Cypress cultivars, and these have been planted. They form a thick screen along the wall, and provide shelter.

Wildlife value of the churchyard trees

Individual trees have been given a general 'score' for their wildlife value, a tree that produces a quantity of flowers and fruit will score highly. Usually native trees are more important in supporting the local flora and fauna than non native. On this site although the range is not wide the trees are mostly native and many have the added advantage of producing seed, such as the hawthorn. It was noted that the hollies seemed to be mostly female. and that this is a good year for berries! Diversity of habitats as already mentioned is important and here with the trees so close to the grassland they provide some good look out points and allow animals and birds to move around under cover. Due to the age of the trees there is not so much diversity in terms of old wood to encourage insects and fungi. The woodland edge effect produced by the clumps of trees is a very valuable habitat for insects and in particular butterflies especially with the adjacent long grass.

Amenity Value

This secluded and hidden churchyard would be a great asset to any village. The trees frame the churchyard rather then over shade it, though the surrounding trees will cut out some of the light. Though the trees are not noted for their species they provide a useful backdrop and considerable interest to the churchyard.

Sketch Map of St John the Baptist Churchyard
(Not to scale)

Recommendations for tree related work

Recommendations have been rated to guide management.

Priority one Urgent - To do now
Priority two - Needs to be done but not urgently
Priority three To do if funds permit

Priority one

At Letton no trees were found that needed urgent attention - dead. dying or diseased to a point where they could be dangerous.

Priority two

Remove the grass cuttings and compost from the base of the yew tree, no. six. Nutrient build up of this level is not good for trees. and more importantly the build up of vegetation prohibits oxygen getting to the roots of the tree, thus causing dieback. Place the compost bins (which are a fine and tidy idea) well away from any trees if possible. They obscure a fine tree.

It is recommended that the PCC budget for a two yearly check of the trees, for their health, vigour and safety, for example if limbs have died, but become stuck in the crown of a tree. Useful addresses are found at the end of this report.

Ivy covers many of the trunks. Since these are vigorous, healthy trees this does not need to be cut back at present. and in fact is a very valuable plant for fauna providing food and shelter. However, if an inspection was made the ivy could be assessed. It can become a problem to a tree if it starts to dominate the crown, thus cutting out the light to the leaves and making the tree top heavy. Cut through ivy at the base only when necessary.

Priority three

At Letton there is potential to make some positive changes. The council may wish to consider the following recommendations made with the aim of improving the churchyard for its wildlife and amenity value.

• Remove of the Lawson cypress and the small holly on the East boundary. (Recommendations usually focus on how to preserve trees rather than remove them!) The argument for this bold action is that these are not a native species. and not normally associated with churchyards. Neither are they serving much purpose for screening or shelter (though local residents may have a fuller story). Most importantly, all of them, especially the holly are beginning to obscure gravestones and make walking around the churchyard more difficult, as they have to be skirted. They are badly shading the ground: compromising the ground flora in the churchyard. By taking these trees out there is an opportunity to develop a circular walk around the site and perhaps pay more attention to the magnificent yew.
  
  
• Any substantial changes through management calls for public consultation/information and this can be an ideal situation to involve the community.
  
  
• This site would benefit from more tree planting: even if it were just one or two. It would increase the age range of the trees on site, and have some young trees coming on as the others mature and may have to be removed. Keep the species choice and number as simple as possible, be mindful of the significance and age of the site, the other types of tree found there, the scale of the site and eventual height of a tree, and its benefit for wildlife. Therefore a native species (but not varieties or cultivars of) would be the first choice. Examples include English or Sessile oak. Field maple, Ash. English yew. Silver Birch, Wild Cherry or Gean.
  
  
• Thin out or prune the lower branches of the 'holly' group: nos. two to five. They tend to obscure the yew tree.

Useful contacts

Arboricultural Association. Ampfield House. Romsey, Hampshire. SO51 9PA. 01794 368 717 Can supplylist of approved contractors. they also have a web site

Institute of Chartered Foresters, 7A, St Colne Street. Edinburgh. EH3 6AA. Also supply a list of practitioners including those who specialise in tree inspections

The Tree Council 51 Catherine Place. London. SW1E 6DY. 0207 828 9928. The organisation that run the Tree Warden Scheme, volunteers who act as 'eyes and ears' for the trees in the parish. The Council runs the scheme mainly through local authorities and are involved in providing training for the wardens.

Disclaimer

The recommendations of this report are based on the brief provided and the conditions at the time of the survey. carried out in August 2002. The surveyor cannot be held responsible for unforeseen incorrect information or for the opinion and action of any other person or organisation involved with the survey or management of the churchyard.

Tree Descriptions

Tree No 1 False Acacia, Robinia pseudoacacia Height = 17.85 Diameter at breast height = est. 67 (forked) Crown spread = 15 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = low Amenity value = medium Conditions/Remarks Trunk is forked Watch ivy	Tree No 2 Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna Height = 9.35 Diameter at breast height = est. 19 Crown spread = 6 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = high Amenity value = medium Conditions/Remarks Crown - some dead wood Watch ivy
Tree No 3 Holly, Hex acquifolium Height = 12.6 Diameter at breast height = multi-stemmed Crown spread = 8 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = high Amenity value = medium Conditions/Remarks Trim lower branches to show the yew and ease access around the churchyard	Tree No 4 Holly, Hex acquifolium Height = 16.35 Diameter at breast height = 28 Crown spread = 7 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = high Amenity value = medium
Tree No 5 Holly, Hex acquifolium Height = 10.8 Diameter at breast height = 25 Crown spread = 3.5 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = high Amenity value = medium Conditions/Remarks Root suckers	Tree No 6 English Yew, Taxus baccata Height = 15.6 Diameter at breast height = 155 Crown spread = 20 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = high Amenity value = high Conditions/Remarks Trunk has been pruned at different times, but is very healthy
Tree No 7 Holly, Hex acquifolium Height = 9.2 Diameter at breast height = multi-stemmed Crown spread = 5.5 Estimated age = mature Wildlife value = medium Amenity value = medium Conditions/Remarks Trunk - some rot Obscuring some graves	Tree No 8 Lawson cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Height = 10.2 Diameter at breast height = 25 Crown spread = 2.5 Estimated age = semi-mature Wildlife value = low Amenity value = low Conditions/Remarks Very close grown Recommend removal as priority three
Tree No 9 Lawson cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Height = 10.2 Diameter at breast height = 28 Crown spread = 3.5 Estimated age = semi-mature Wildlife value = low Amenity value = low Conditions/Remarks Very close grown Recommend removal as priority three	Tree No 10 Lawson cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Height = 10.2 Diameter at breast height = multi-stemmed Crown spread = 3 Estimated age = semi-mature Wildlife value = low Amenity value = low Conditions/Remarks Very close grown Recommend removal as priority three
Tree No 11 Lawson cypress, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Height = 10.2 Diameter at breast height = multi-stemed Crown spread = 5.5 Estimated age = semi-mature Wildlife value = low Amenity value = low Conditions/Remarks Very close grown Recommend removal as priority three

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Take Part

If you would like to take part, or would like to support this project, please email godsacre@lettonvillage.com for more details.