There could be tens of thousands of these strangled-on-stake trees across the UK, and probably many more, in multiple land ownerships and urban locations: from local parks, business and public/private housing estates to large retail car parks and private front gardens.
Whether they have been abandoned or there is no understanding that these stakes and ties should have been removed after 3-5 years (once the trees have established) the result is still the same: these trees will die.
In the early years after planting, a tree is often staked and fastened with a tree-tie so that its root-ball is held firm until new roots can grow out into the surrounding soil to then stabilise the tree.
Once the tree is established usually after 3-5 years, these stakes and ties should be removed.
Why? As the trunk expands and grows, the pressure from a poor fitting tree-tie can crush the outer living tissue (just beneath the bark), restrict the flow of water and sap up and down the trunk, effectively killing the tree. Stems on affected trees can also snap.
- Visit newly planted trees at least once a year
- Check stakes, ties and guards – they may need adjusting or refastening
- Remove stakes and ties after 3-5 years
- Check overall tree health – always water your new tree
- See Arboricultural Association guide to Young Tree Establishment for detailed aftercare best practices
Within the arboricultural and landscape profession it costs on average £350 to supply and plant a (12-14 cm girth) tree. As mentioned, if these are left strangled on-stake they will die. On a national level, this represents a huge waste of money across these industries and moreover the landscaping and ecosystem benefits for which these trees were planted will never be realised.
On supporting the campaign led by Fund4Trees, John Parker, CEO of the Arboricultural Association said: “As an industry we’re encouraging people to realise that planting a tree is just one small part of the story. Arboriculturists work in tree time, not human lifespans or political cycles. After planting there are a few years of young tree maintenance, including watering, and then for decades or centuries to come the healthy survival of the tree is dependent on inspections, pruning, management and protection.”
Russell Ball, Founder and Trustee of Fund4Trees said “This is an important national public-engagement campaign to mobilise efforts within local communities to find these abandoned on-stake trees and help save them from their strangling ties.”
