Protesters gathered over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in Enfield, expressing their outrage over the felling of a tree believed to be up to 500 years old. One campaigner described it as “a crime against nature” and mourned the loss of a 500-year-old being. The ancient oak tree in Whitewebbs Park, located on the edge of an Enfield council-owned park in north London, was a focal point for the demonstration.
The council had leased the land where the tree stood to the Toby Carvery, with the felling going unnoticed until last week. Enfield Council’s leader condemned the act as an outrage, pledging to explore all legal avenues. According to Mitchells & Butlers, the owners of Toby Carvery, the decision to cut down the tree was based on advice from contractors who deemed it dead and a safety hazard due to split and dead wood.
The incident sparked a wave of public outcry, with thousands signing a petition calling for an independent investigation by Enfield Council. Reactions to the tree’s felling ranged from confusion to anger. Tree consultant Russell Miller highlighted the significance of the loss, noting that the tree, with a massive 20ft girth, was a rare find in London and part of the Woodland Trust’s ancient tree inventory.
Concerns over legal protections for trees were also raised following the destruction of the oak, with a recent report from the Tree Council and Forest Research shedding light on gaps in safeguarding measures. As the community mourns the loss of this centuries-old oak, questions linger about the future of urban green spaces and the critical role ancient trees play in our ecosystem
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