Tallest Tree in Wales to be Felled!!!!!!!!

It's been an emotional roller coaster for me this last few days:

First I get a text forwarded from my climbing buddy Dave, who is in Australia at the moment, saying that the BBC want to film me for prime time TV climbing the Vyrnwy Giant (a tree that I climbed in 2009 and discovered that it was the joint tallest tree in Northern Europe)

I got prepared and practiced my techniques and was looking forward to the filming on Thursday and Friday of this week when I get a call from a BBC researcher saying that the tree WILL BE FELLED ON WEDNESDAY, the day before filming!!!!!!

I managed to get through to Mike Whitley, the Forestry Commission's Area Manager this evening and he said that he visited the tree after the high winds we had recently and noticed that it had a definite lean, which wasn't there before. On closer inspection he saw a huge split in the trunk near the base. An independant inspection determined that the risk of collapse was critical: Mike had no choice but to close the area off and arrange to have the tree taken down ASAP!

The BBC still want me to go there and comment on this sad loss and about what the tree meant to me. They also want me to see if there is another tree nearby that could be the new champion ('The King is dead. Long live the King!')

While this in itself is exciting, it is overshadowed by the sadness I'm feeling. When you climb through the branches of big tree from the murky base on the floor to the very top it's like a journey through the lifetime of the tree to the present day and the new shoot at the top. Every move is determined by the shape and growth characteristics of this organsim, which remain the same throughout on a smaller and smaller scale until you can't go any higher. It feels to me like we are two being working together, the tree providing safe branches for me to climb and me doing my best to return the favour by not damaging anything.

This was the first really big tree I ever climbed and I was the first person to realise that it was the tallest. It got me to come to Lake Vyrnwy in 2003 and in so doing, introduced me to one of my favourite places.

I'm going to miss 'Cawr Llanwddyn'.

I will let you know when the BBC programme 'Countryfile' comes out. I don't know whether you guys can watch BBC IPlayer in your country but I'll find a way to share the film footage with you.

Michael

...I'm going to ask Mike Whitley if I can go there a day early, climb to the top and measure it before they take it down to see if it had regained it's status as the tallest tree in the UK. If it's safe enough for a tree surgeon to climb for the felling then it's safe enough for me to climb beforehand.

He'll probably say no but it's worth a shot.

Michael

Sorry to hear that Michael. climbing a great tree creates a powerful personal relationship, it is not to be underestimated.

Is the tree in a high traffic area where humans could be injured or structures damaged if it fell on its own? If not don't see the rush to drop it.

I seriously doubt he'll let you climb if it is so damaged that it has to be cut down immediately.

Would be great to see photos before it's cut, for instance is the lean from the root plate heaving or from the split in the trunk? Or both. I've seen several large wild conifers and deciduous trees that were pushed into a big lean by heavy wind, the root plates lifted. The trees didn't go over, instead they grew huge roots opposite the lean which have been holding the them up for many years, they may be more storm proof than they were before they were leaning.
-AJ

Thanks Moss.

I doubt I'll be allowed to climb it either but it's worth a try.

It's a few yards from an all access path and being 210ft tall it would reach the road if it fell that way. I haven't seen the tree yet but I'm told that it leans to the East which is away from the road but towards the viewing/seating area.

Michael

Sorry to hear about the tree bro. I can only imagine the frustration you must feel on many different levels. Please do keep us posted on any footage available, and on any other outcome that may transpire.

Thanks 2Chops.

I'm thinking of Diana and Nimrod at TCI: the two most climbed trees (by humans) on Earth. Like them the bottom 15ft of the trunk is going to be left and carved into a kind of Totem Pole.

I wonder whether they will leave the information panel at the bottom by the seating area. On second thoughts there's a photo of me on it so they'll probably take a chainsaw to that too!

Michael

That really is a shame Michael, I enjoyed reading your posts about the tree from when you first discovered it. I hope you can find another hidden giant.

This past fall I took down a 22" in diameter hickory that was pulling up it's root plate. The home owner was concerned that it would hit the neighbor's house. Anyways I set my rope as high up as I could and then proceeded to take the weight off of the side that was leaning. Eventually the whole tree straitened out about six inches or so. The size was nothing compared to the tree you are talking about but I thought you might find the situation interesting.

Here is a picture of the hickory after taking the weight off the leaning side.

I had trouble with attachments too! It had to be a JPG less then 800 x 800 pixels!

I wish this tree could be saved like the hickory but it's the trunk that is failing.

You read my posts nearly 2 years ago? You're right you HAVE been lurking a long time

This tree is about 5' diameter so quite thin for its height but not unusual for a young Douglas.

I'm going to bed now as it's 03:35 GMT.

Michael

I know the feeling about loosing a tree you are personal with. It took me a few years to get over Nimrod and Diana's death. It's good that you will have a trunk piece left. You will get to have a connection with the tree for a while.

I just visited the site of the original TCI school. I sold the lot. Now there is a giant SUV house in its place. Only a memory and many pictures remain.

Sorry about your loss. I can feel your pain.


Peter Treeman Jenkins

Thanks Treeman!

While I'm sad, it certainly wasn't part of my life in the way that your trees were. The stump is still 30ft tall and will be made into a sculpture. What's happened to Nimrod and Diana?

Michael