A dead maple tree is to be felled on safety grounds in Somerset Council’s Vivary Park in Taunton next week.

The notable tree which is situated in the sensory garden, next to a well-used main footpath, has been deemed unsafe as falling branches are likely as the dead tree’s branches become brittle.

Three new trees, including a red oak (Quercus rubra), a strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), and a burnt sugar tree (Katsura tree) will be planted in the park in the autumn to compensate for the loss.

Vivary Park covers 7.5 hectares of land and is home to a wide range of mature trees maintained by the Council.

Councillor Sarah Dyke, Lead Member for Environment and Climate Change, said “The decision to cut down the tree was not taken lightly, but safety has to come first in situations like this.

“Developing a greener, more sustainable county is very important to the Council, and our commitment to enhancing Somerset’s tree coverage can be seen in our new tree strategy.”

The Somerset Tree Strategy includes an aim to see 240 hectares of new trees planted every year for the next ten.

To read the full Somerset Tree Strategy, which was adopted by the Somerset Council’s Executive today (6 June) visit the council’s website.