Minister asks islanders to help stop trees from going ash-stray

Friday 19 February 2021

A Minister has put out a plea for islanders to help find a new home for Liberation Square's ash trees, which are soon to be removed to make room for new ones.

Though the trees have reached their sell-by date in terms of their place in the Square, officials are looking to re-home them for their 200-year retirement.

Infrastructure Minister Deputy Kevin Lewis said that the move comes in recognition of the trees' old age.

"They’d be happier elsewhere because it’s quite an open space here, and they do get the sea breeze coming in – so we’re happy to donate to somebody who would like to take them – they’ll be taken out by the ground roots, and replaced with some hardier trees," he said.

Pictured: The old ash trees, once given their new home, will be replaced with "hardier" ash trees.

Explaining the process behind the move, Head of Parks and Gardens department Bruce Labey said: "The trees have got to the end of their design life in the containers they’re growing in, and we need to find a new home for them.

"We’re going to be lifting them out, and we’d really like to find somewhere where we can put them, where they will grow on happily for another 200 years.

"They will make multi-stem trees rather than single stem trees," he added, explaining that root damage from pulling them out would require them to be cut back. However, he said that "there's nothing wrong with that; they're beautiful golden ash trees."

Asked what the trees' ideal new home would be, Mr Labey said they can go "anywhere that’s open or sunny, but preferably not too close to the beach or the sea - they don’t really like the strong winds as they’re a forest tree." 

Deputy Lewis added that his department would also be looking at planting trees more widely around the island, saying: "We’re doing lots of work on the Railway Walk and quite a few other areas of the island as money becomes available."

Any islanders interested in acquiring one of the trees can contact Bruce Labey by emailing b.labey@gov.je.

GALLERY: Among the trees...