Tree Management

Young trees were planted at the start of Chorltonville, as part of the garden city concept. This can be seen in the early pictures that are in the original brochure reprinted in 1986 as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations.

The value of the trees to Chorltonville cannot be over-stressed. Their maturity is an essential part of our community.

However, trees must be cared for as they do not live forever, and can be a problem in later years. Some varieties of tree can cause damage to property and underground services. Chorltonville was an early pioneer in the underground ducting of services such as telephones, and electricity, but the implications of tree planting were not so well established then, and it is now necessary to consider the effect of trees before replanting.

We are fortunate in Chorltonville to have a good sandy subsoil which reduces the problems of subsidence, and thus the impact of trees. Care must still be taken in the location of new planting, in both the open streets and private gardens.

All trees within Chorltonville - in both the open streets and private gardens - are preserved as part of the conservation area and cannot be pruned or felled without the permission of the planning authority (Manchester City Council).

Trees in the open streets are managed on behalf of the owners and residents by the Owners'’ Committee, and one member of that committee is specially charged to carry out this work which involves inspection, liaison with owners and residents, co-ordination with the Council and the landscape contractors and tree surgeons who work on behalf of the Owners’' Committee.

There are about 360 trees in Chorltonville, of various types, mainly the traditional varieties, and the pruning and replacement or removal of trees is carried out with the valuable help of the Manchester City Planning Authority and its specialists. Every summer an audit of the trees is carried out and a programme of pruning and replacement or removal is agreed. During this notice is taken of points brought up by residents and every attempt is made to accommodate their requests.

In the early days of Chorltonville after the trees had matured the pruning was not always well done, the main fault being "pollarding" which causes more vertical growth and spoils the balance of the trees. The writer of this article remembers his first view of Chorltonville as a child in 1950 and the gloomy, overpowering look of the overgrown and badly pruned trees. The war had not helped, and much has changed since then to the advantage of Chorltonville!

In 1982 a report was commissioned by the Owners' Committee from a distinguished local landscape architect, T D Howcroft ARIBA AILA Dip LD. His recommendations have formed the basis of the tree management policy that has been followed ever since, and is to be continued.

Residents and owners are encouraged to report anything that might concern the tree stock and in particular any damage or vandalism. It is also a valuable contribution if owners and residents could irrigate trees during summer and at times of water shortage.