Emergency - stop neighbour’s trees being cut down

[woodpigeons]

I live in an area with a lot of mature, very big trees.
Our next door neighbour recently died. The house is for sale and I have just heard that the people who inherited it plan to have several mature trees, where birds nest every year, cut down.
The trees are not causing any problems at all. We are the only neighbours who would be affected and we love them, they are beautiful, and love seeing the birds come back every year to build their nests.
They already sent some sort of cowboy gardener to cut back the dividing front hedge where birds are nesting. DH noticed when they’d almost finished and when he spoke to the ‘gardener’ about it he laughed and said he was always finding eggs but never enough to make an omelette.
I know about applying to the council for a tree preservation order if there isn’t one already. Also about the Countryside act and will contact them on Monday.
However these people who have inherited the house are not reasonable. They are most likely to send unqualified people to cut down the trees, even this weekend.
If that happens can anyone tell me if there is anything I can do please?

Hhm I don't really think it's right to cut down trees but equally it's their property and if there's no order on the trees then I guess they should be free to remove them as they wish once nesting is done.

Mind your own business. It's their land and their property.

I would check with your council. Some areas need you to get permission to cut down mature trees. That said town planning do whatever they like it seems.

Are you in a conservation area?
If so, felling or even lopping trees without prior consent is a criminal offence, so you could try the police, although you may not get much of s response.

You could try contacting your local councillor today, and see if they have any helpful advice.

I’m not sure you can do anything about it unless they have a tree preservation order on them

@woodpigeons first find out if you're in a conservation area. If so, you have to get permission to prune or cut down any tree, even one in your own garden.
Also ring the council, their receptionist will put you through to the appropriate department.
Good luck!

Also [[https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/plants-for-wildlife/garden-hedges/hedge-]]

And[[https://www.nwcu.police.uk/crimestoppers/]]

Apologies for multiple posts

Under Section One of the Wildlife & Countryside Act (1981), it is an offence to intentionally damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built - which is also referred to as an 'active' nest.

Could you also apply to TPO the trees if they’re old?!

Report the bloke for destroying birds nests and check if there are any TPOs in the trees

Pipe down, Ballymote

It’s an offence to disturb nesting birds, of course it’s OP business.

It’s so sad to see mature tree cut down. Don’t people realise how much we need big trees with the environmental catastrophe we are sliding into?

It’s an offence to recklessly disturb bird’s nests, and the gardener or your neighbours are risking a fine (or imprisonment but I think that’s unlikely).
I would highlight this to the police and to your council, especially with his omelette comment- he knows the nests are there and is carrying on.
If the trees have TPOs then they will need planning permission.

It's illegal to 'disturb' a nest that's in use. If you're cutting trees or hedges it's required that you inspect them first to ensure no nests. So if the gardener did disturb nests and eggs then it was a criminal offence. Rspb advises calling the police (I expect the 999 advice is if they're aggressive if confronted, or if it's a falcon nest or something) but 101 for some advice and to report the hedge wouldn't be a bad move. Do you have access to the clippings etc that will contain the remains of the nests and eggs to prove they were there?

Whoops, forgot the link! www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-to-report-crimes/

Quick, slap a TPO, tree protection order on them yourself.
Get environmental out asap

www.trees.org.uk/ Have a look on here. You can do a search to find out if trees are protected.

We're way out of spring. I doubt there's still nests in use.

Op sounds like a nosey neighbour that should mind their own buisness.

I had a right nightmare trying to get rid of a wonkey tree. I asked the council if it was protected, they said no but we will now. It took a storm damage until we were able to get rid of the ghastly thing after a decade of trying.

The council can react urgently if needed with an interim tpo

We're way out of spring. I doubt there's still nests in use.

Oh dear. Is there a prize for the stupidest comment?

Why do people do this? There are plenty of soul less homes with no trees near them so why buy a home with loads of trees and have them all cut down? It is our business as the country is being deforester very quickly. I'd ring the council asap and try to get preservation orders.

Caring about the environment is beyond being a nosey neighbour.

We had a pigeon nest in our garden which was still in use until about a week ago, so it is still possible birds are nesting.

"We're way out of spring. I doubt there's still nests in use."

"The ‘Bird Nesting Season’ is officially from February until August (Natural England) and it is recommended that vegetation works (tree or hedge cutting) or site clearance should be done outside of the nesting season. However, in reality the nesting period may start before this and extend beyond it, in some cases. The busiest time for nesting birds is from 1st March until 31st July and of course varies according to species, etc."

www.trees.org.uk/Help-Advice/Public/When-is-the-bird-nest-season

On the day I moved in to my old house, my next door neighbour cut down the lovely tree in another neighbours garden while they were on holiday because he was fed up of it shading his garden. None of them knew the tree already had a TPO on it and next door neighbour ended up being fined £12,000.

Do you know if this tree has a TPO? Is it possible to apply if it doesn't? (Not sure how it works!) But, of course, if you think they could chop it down this weekend then that's not going to help. I think all you can do is phone the council on Monday to enquire about the tree and let them know what these people are planning to do. I'd probably even try 101 if it looks like they're going to do it over the weekend.

Ring the council - get a tree preservation order on them.