Hi all, I just wanted to let you know we’ve just passed 610 signatures on our petition - thank you so much for your support! Will you help us get more support by sharing this petition with ten other people? If enough of us sign we can’t be ignored! Here’s a link to share https://www.change.org/p/lewisham-council-save-the-last-tree-on-senlac-road

Better still, if you'd like to write to the Mayor of Lewisham to let him know how damaging their policy of felling mature trees is, please please do - letters and emails are really powerful. Below is a suggested email: 

damien.egan@lewisham.gov.uk

Dear Mayor Egan,

I am writing to urgently share my deep concern about the planned felling of the last plane tree on Senlac Road SE12. The destruction of this tree is likely to have a significant negative impact on local residents; urban trees make important contributions to our health and wellbeing by reducing air pollution and ambient temperatures and providing shade and vitally important green space. Simply replacing this mature tree with new saplings is not a viable solution as these young trees will not contribute the benefits outlined for many years. 

I am concerned that insufficient information about the decision to fell this tree is available to residents. Our understanding is that this plan follows an insurance claim, but it is unclear whether a full and independent review of the tree’s contribution to the problem has been carried out or whether the council is simply being forced to fell the tree by financial pressures being applied by the insurance company. In the face of the climate emergency as declared by Lewisham Council in 2019, the removal of mature trees for short term financial reasons is a very dangerous policy.

This is not an isolated case in Lewisham - two mature oaks are also under threat from the same situation, yet according to the recently updated National Planning Policy Framework, “Trees make an important contribution to the character and quality of urban environments, and can also help mitigate and adapt to climate change. Planning policies and decisions should ensure…that existing trees are retained wherever possible.” The policy by Lewisham Council of allowing insurance companies to dictate the felling of our precious mature trees is in direct contravention of this framework. 

I urge you to reconsider this decision and protect our mature trees which are so important to our health and wellbeing, now and in the future. 

Name

Address

If not local, please include why you feel so strongly about protecting trees. 

THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING OUR TREES