Giant redwood tree in Exeter to be felled

The tree is located on the Pinces Gardens allotments in Exeter

A giant redwood tree in Exeter believed to be more than 100 years old will have to be felled after deteriorating, the city council has said.

The tree is in the Pinces Gardens allotments, and Exeter City Council said it will have to be brought down for safety reasons.

The council's tree experts confirmed the tree, which is about 23m (75.46 ft) tall and a descendant of the giant redwood trees in California, cannot be saved and 95% of the foliage had turned brown.

Ruth Williams, the council's lead councillor for city management, said it was "beyond saving" and once it had been felled the council will "consider planting another tree of a species more suited to the allotment's location".

'Beyond saving'

Experts said the tree’s root system had been impaired and there is also some historical fire damage around its base.

Ms Williams said: “No-one likes to cut trees down, especially a tree as iconic as this one – so loved by many local residents - but unfortunately this one is beyond saving and will need to be taken down to be made safe."

Felling is likely to take place before the end of the year, subject to planning consent, required because the tree is in a conservation area.

The council said it intends to dismantle the tree by aerial ascent and rigging, as there is no access for a crane or mobile elevated work platform.

The tree is thought to come from a shipment of seed collected from the Calaveras Grove in California which arrived in England in December 1853.

The seed from this batch was widely distributed throughout Europe.

The council manages giant redwoods in Exeter and there are four young ones that were planted in Pinces gardens in 2011.