Strong winds on 27th July brought down a massive trunk and limb of one of the imposing hybrid poplars on the old railway embankment. Ironically, this was one of two trees marked up for tree surgery this autumn, on account of the limb leaning so heavily across the embankment path. Strong summer winds are relatively unusual, but have the potential to be more devastating, as the foliage provides much more resistance to the airflow, putting even greater pressure on the already stressed trunk, which was massively twisted and torn as it collapsed, but its angular branches prevented the upper limb from resting on the ground. The unstable nature of the torn joint means that the entire tree could settle down closer to the ground, so signs have been put up warning people not to attempt to clamber through the tangle of branches.
FALLEN TREE
