Petition to ensure not a single tree goes un-replaced

Sunday 29 August 2021

More than 550 islanders are calling for the law to be changed so that any tree in Jersey cannot be felled without being replaced by two more.

Mathieu Therese has started a petition aiming to address the “alarming rate” he says that trees are being lost on the island.

"Every year in Jersey, trees are cut down for firewood or simply for building sites," the petition reads.

"Trees in Jersey are being lost at the alarming rate of several thousand per year, with numbers rising over the past decade. To stop this, make a law saying that for every tree felled, another should be planted."

Pictured: The petition quotes a study by Dr Amy Hall, which discovered that since 2008, 30 applications to fell a 'protected' tree were not refused.

He continued by explaining how "one study in St Lawrence showed that 25% of "protected" trees had been felled following a request and NONE of 30 applications to fell a "protected" tree was refused.

"Furthermore, there is no requirement that when a tree is felled, another should be planted. This is the main cause of our decaying numbers of trees."

The petition links to a study by Dr Amy Hall, whose concerns Express reported on earlier this year.

In her report, she said that having gone through the Planning Register website, she discovered that since 2008, 30 applications have been made to fell protected trees, none of which were refused.

She said 10 of the trees related to La Providence in St. Lawrence.

Sharing her findings in February, she noted that "there isn't very strong protection for our trees."

"Even the trees that are listed to save them from development, when people have built their house, they then apply for the trees to be delisted and most of the time, it is accepted."

The Environment Department is currently working on a Tree Strategy which should be published early in 2022 and the Minister wants the Planning Law updated to provide greater protections for trees.

CLICK HERE to see the petition.