Demise of the Brockhole monkey puzzle tree
Brockhole are having to restore the views which visitors have come to enjoy. In order to do this certain memorial trees and the monkey puzzle tree have to be cut down.
Although this feature is much loved and many photos have been taken of it, it more than just an ornamental tree, it tells the cultural story of the Gaddum family, the original owners of the site, who planted it.
So the solution is to take a cutting from the original tree in order to replant the monkey puzzle tree in a better location that does not obstruct the views.
The planting of a new Monkey Puzzle tree demonstrates that this vision is not just about now but about the long-term future. Restoring what is essential, and ensuring that Brockhole remains relevant now and tomorrow.
Following the meeting I rang Hilary Taylor Associates and it is clear that their nuanced 2002 and 2009 reports were distorted to form the basis of Adam Thomas’s rationale for felling. Hilary Taylor Associates supposed “support” for felling the Monkey Puzzle was used to gain “support” from Andy Wimble (now conveniently retired) of English Heritage.
ReplyDeleteThis cascade of misleading information has led to members making a flawed decision to fell this much loved tree. The decision must be reversed as soon as possible.
Hilary Taylor Associates have agreed to write clarifying their position which is to retain the Monkey Puzzle:
We did not recommend the loss of the tree, as it does lend a good deal of
individuality to this site and was planted by the original owner and
patron; moreover, the very fact that so many people are enthusiastic about
keeping this tree reveals that it has become a loved icon of the place -
and this attachment, too, is part of the tree’s significance.
Brockhole is being brutalised, the arts and Craft house and gardens are a gem, the Monkey Puzzle is a key part of that gem. Brockhole is not safe in the hands of the Lake District National Park.
ReplyDeleteMore info and petition and pledge here...http://monkeypuzzlepledge.wordpress.com/