To have spent most of the day in tears over trees

[NoMoreTrees]

We moved into this house just shy of a year ago and I regretted it almost instantly. I absolutely hate it here, it has pretty much ruined my life and for the last few months my mental health has been in tatters and I’ve had some very, very dark days.

One thing I did like about the house though was that at the end of the garden, on the other side of the fence were some beautiful tall trees. Dozens of trees with hundreds of birds that you can hear singing all year round, an owl, squirrels and other wildlife. The trees ran the entire length of our row of houses and a bit further.

On the other side of the trees is a small field, and while we were having surveys etc done they brought up a planning application for a small development of 9 houses in that field, which had been rejected by the water company.

Well I’m sure you know where this is going… obviously the water company were offered more money changed their minds because before the sun was even up this morning a bunch of men in hi viz and hard hats rocked up with a chainsaw, a bulldozer and a woodchipper and one by one started tearing all the trees down. By the time they had downed tools and fucked off there was only one tree left standing at the end of our garden and one or two surviving further down… for now at least.

I just can’t stop crying. I can’t even bring myself to look out of the windows at the back of the house. All those beautiful trees, all those birds, all that wildlife, gone. It was one of the very, very few things that made living here tolerable, and now instead of trees and birdsong, there is going to be a building site. Just when I thought I couldn’t fucking hate it here more.

How awful. Surely there must be a complaint system? Those trees look vital for all!!!

I agree you should try to use your garden to plant trees instead - it's something you can control. You could have your own woodland by that fencing area instead.

Many native trees grow fast and you can get lots of advice on The Woodland Trust website - they sell saplings in bundles too.

We get it, you don’t like conifers. Can I still be sad about the deciduous trees, the birds, the squirrels, the owl, the loss of shelter and privacy?? Let me know.

Nobody buying new builds are coming off the streets.

By the way, same property developers destroying the countryside are buying up and destroying affordable housing in cities, converting it to luxury flats. They are creating a lack of housing, then acting the heroes by “solving” it.

Conifers still provide vital shelter for birds and squirrels.

Stupid arsey horrid people. Those poor beautiful trees...💔😪

Why are people so utterly disrespectful of nature and its beauty? How appalling and upsetting for you, OP. I think I'd be heartbroken too.

So sorry you have lost something so special. 😢

As awful as it is, it’s not the end of the world.
Plant your own lovely trees on your side of the fence.

The majority were not deciduous in those pictures though.

Plant some Japanese Knotweed at the end of your garden - no one will buy the houses 😁

That's awful - I'd be sad too.

However I'm quite envious of your nice big garden!

I'd imagine conifers are useful for birds in the winter, as deciduous trees hardly provide much cover or shelter Nov-April. My mum had collared doves in hers.

Oh I'd be devastated too. I can't understand why they needed to be so brutal. They would have made the new homes more desirable by providing privacy from your row of houses.
But I suppose its done now. You have a lovely long garden. Get thinking/planning do some research and pick some lovely trees to plant yourselves. If you can get them in in the next few weeks they'll be ready to grow when things start waking up around the end of March.

Lots of nimbies on this thread. I doubt it's about the trees at all.

Did you come here just to be unpleasant?

That's dreadful. Really heartbreaking.

The garden centre, if it’s a decent one and not just filled with Christmas ornaments and plastic statuettes, will happily give you lots of advice on tree planting.
Or try a local (tree) nursery?

I might be able to help with some suggestions. Nothing too huge, you don't want to have to thin them later. You could start with a crabapple -lovely blossom and fruit for making jelly in the autum, then add a couple of hazel bushes which will entertain the squirrels, a medlar tree, a thornless blackberry which will romp about and feed the birds (or you!) and a couple of buddleias which will bring in loads of butterflies. You'd be best getting all of those mail order, bare rooted which is the best way to buy these things during the winter. Come spring you can see about buying some bird and bee friendly seeds, those you will want to go to the garden centre for, so you can look at the packets. You could also look out for a couple of Rugosa roses, they are once flowering but produce enormous red hips in the autumn. If you have any space you could squeeze in a holly or two (make sure at least one is female) and a small Rowan which the birds love. These plants are all pretty easy to look after and moderately fast growing.
Best of luck OP, being able to make your own wildlife garden should bring lots of life back to the area.
PS how about a bird table and a few nesting boxes dotted about?

So sad for the wildlife & you OP 😭

No.I came here with my opinion. Is that not allowed?

How sad, how could they do that it seems so wrong.

I have some big trees at the back of the garden. Although they are the bane of my life as every day through Autumn I'm sweeping up leaves, I love them and how they provide a home for the many birds, squirrels and owls (very rarely see but often hear them) that live in them, and the bats that circle around!

Ok, well for the sake of clarity, I’m not just sad about the conifers and this isn’t nimbyism in disguise. I think that addresses all your points

Let me guess, everything in your garden is grey, including the turf? Even if you’re not passionate about trees, this is going to affect property value in the short-medium term, it is a big deal and it’s not surprising op is upset.

Judging by the number of birds and squirrels that were in them they had no problem with the conifers at all.

My neighbour found a dead squirrel at the end of her garden this afternoon 😢

I'm so sorry OP - I'd be devastated too. Once of the reasons I bought my house was that although it looked pretty dull on the photos, when I went to street view I discovered that it had two very mature (300 years?) oak trees outside.

Gardening really is easy. Give it a try and you'll be surprised. It somehow takes far less effort and time than decorating for good results. Trees can be planted while they're dormant so you can start now as long as the ground isn't frozen.

Oh that is awful.
im so sorry. I get that some
were conifers but I still get joy looking at any tree.

the good news is that you have a long garden.
yoi could plant se evergreen trees. But indeed it does cost.

I really feel for you.