PROSECUTION CALL OVER TREE CHOPPING
A PETITION has been launched to prosecute those who chopped down a giant redwood tree which had a preservation order.
Swansea Friends of the Earth has now launched an online petition calling for the prosecution of the people responsible for felling the tree in Penllergaer.
The tree was cut down “by mistake” last month as part of work on a housing development.
Enzo Sauro, the boss of developer Enzo’s Homes, previously stated that the redwood would be replaced with “a mature replica tree” and explained that he was in talks with the Penllergare Trust “to see if they want to use the tree in their woods”.
More than 1,500 people have already signed the petition, which has been directed at Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart. It reads: “A magnificent giant redwood tree believed to be well over 100 years old, that was supposed to be protected by a tree preservation order (TPO), has been destroyed on a building site at Penllergaer in Swansea.
“We urgently need to ensure the council acts and prosecutes the people responsible. Given their history we cannot be sure they will do this.
“If lots of us sign the petition then councillor Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, will have to listen.”
It then goes on to address Mr Stewart directly, stating: “We ask that you take immediate action to prosecute the vandals responsible for the destruction of the magnificent and legally protected giant redwood tree in Penllergaer.
“We ask that you should seek to prosecute the actual individuals who destroyed it, the company or companies they worked for, and the directors of those companies.”
Swansea Council has confirmed that a joint investigation with Natural Resources Wales is currently under way, with further site visits planned to help determine if a criminal offence has been carried out and what action can be taken.
Neil Jones, Swansea Friends of the Earth’s biodiversity campaigner, said: “We are appalled by the felling of this tree and there has been a justifiable public outcry in our petition.
“If the tree preservation orders made by Swansea Council are to mean anything the council must press for the maximum penalties for all involved.”
Responding to this, Mr Sauro said: “If the local authority will be prosecuting, I will then be prosecuting the people we employed to mark up the trees on site. All bar one [of the trees] were marked up correctly inside and outside the boundaries.”
Mark Thomas, cabinet member for environment and infrastructure management, has stated that the council takes “the destruction of these trees very seriously” and that along with Natural Resources Wales, it “will be looking at what action can be taken”.