People damaging trees on purpose should be fined, says charity

A charity focused on preserving and planting trees across Guernsey wants existing legal protections given stronger roots with new branches.

Guernsey Trees for Life (GTFL) has written to all deputies suggesting the States introduce ‘default protection limits’ to automatically protect trees when they reach a certain size, age or specimen type, along with ‘meaningful fines’ for anyone causing ‘root damage or intentional harm to protected trees and hedges’.

The charity says fining people would discourage damage in the first place.

The letter was sent to all deputies over the weekend sharing the charity’s “deep concern” over “how little legal protection our island’s natural environment” currently has.

The charity said a “stronger framework” is needed “with proper enforcement” to ensure our green spaces are “genuinely looked after … before more (trees) are lost for good”.

Trees are vital to island life, they help tackle climate change by offering shade, keeping soil in place, and cleaning our air. Not to mention how good they are for human and wildlife wellbeing and health.

Guernsey trees for life

Land Planning and Development laws already protect existing trees and encourage the planting of new ones, but GTFL said this doesn’t go far enough.

Existing tools, such as Tree Protection Orders, can be issued under planning regulations, but GTFL again warned that this doesn’t offer enough protection for existing trees.

The charity has previously raised the issue of trees being felled before planning applications are lodged ahead of potential developments. When it raises these concerns, the charity said the response is “that current laws do not give them the power to protect these trees and hedges”.

“Combined with the ongoing loss of wildlife habitat across the island, which we see all too often, this feedback from government officers shows why we urgently need simpler, more robust laws that truly protect Guernsey’s natural environment,” said GTFL.

GTFL is working with La Société Guernesiaise and the National Trust to call for change, and committee members have already met with the Presidents of the Development and Planning Authority and the Committee for the Environment and Infrastructure.

“Right now, trees are usually only protected after they are already under threat, or damaged,” said GTFL.

“This leaves much of Guernsey’s most valuable green canopy unprotected against sudden felling or development.”

“We strongly believe all trees over a certain size should be protected by default,” the charity added.