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The first of the Liberation Square Ash Trees was lifted out of the ground yesterday and taken off to its new home at Jersey Zoo.
It comes after a plea was put out last month by Infrastructure Minister Deputy Kevin Lewis to find the trees a new home, due to their old age meaning the environment was no longer suitable.
At the time, Parks and Gardens Head Bruce Labey had explained to Express that the trees had reached the end of their “design life” in the containers they were in and needed to be given a new home away from the sea breeze.
One month on, and Jersey Zoo has been settled on as the location.
Video: The first tree was removed yesterday (26 March).
Speaking about the response to the campaign, Bruce Labey said: ”It was a massive response from the public, I was really pleased, loads of people stepped forward - private gardens, institutions, all sorts.
"But, in the end, the Zoo, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, agreed that they could take all four and re-home them in or around the animal enclosures, which I think is a really lovely solution.”
The first of the four trees was taken out of the ground today as something of a “trial run” for the other three, with Bruce remarking that there were still unknown factors, such as how many roots would be under the tree, or if the steel cables originally put down to hold them would still be in place.
Pictured: The tree was moved to its new home at Durrell by Sutton Transport Services.
Fortunately, the lift of the first tree went smoothly, with it being removed by Sutton Transport Services using a crane, and with no steel cables being found to hold the tree back underneath.
On why Durrell's Jersey Zoo will be the ideal new home for the trees, Mr Labey added: “It’s the fact that it’s nice and sheltered - it’s up in Trinity away from the sea breezes which have done so much damage to them.
”The public can still enjoy them when they’re walking round the zoo, and the marmozettes can enjoy them too - so lots of us primates will get some benefit from the trees!”
Mark Brayshaw, Director of Zoo Operations, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust said: "We’re delighted to give these trees another life at Jersey Zoo, and thank the Parks and Gardens department for donating them.
“We will identify areas where they can be located and thrive, where hopefully they can provide further enjoyment to visitors, and be a resource to both native wildlife and our zoo animals too."
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