Fallen tree in Grove Park highlights stress of hot summers on trees

The tree split, smashing Jacqueline Roberts’ car windscreen on Grove Park Road; photographs George Westwood

Householder told “dry weather” is the cause 

Jacqueline Roberts discovered that one of the trees in her garden had fallen onto her car only after a neighbour knocked on her door on Saturday morning (19 July).

“Someone came to the door, and I thought it was my Amazon delivery driver, and my neighbour said, ‘the tree has fallen on your car,’” she told The Chiswick Calendar.

The tree had split, smashing the car windscreen and damaging her garden wall on Grove Park Road.

“I think the car’s probably a write off. It’s going to be a huge job, luckily we’re insured,” she said.

A tree surgeon came to remove the worst of the damage, and the section of road was coned off by Hounslow Highways.

Jacqueline was told that this is not an isolated case.

“The guy from Hounslow Highways said he dealt with four trees in the morning on Saturday.

“And the tree surgeon who did the emergency job came from Ealing, and said he saw a couple trees down on his way.

“It’s global warming. It’s because it has been so dry,” she added.

Big tree bough falles across the road at South Parade

Sudden branch drop syndrome

Last month was the UK’s warmest June on record, and the three heatwaves and lack of rain have put a strain on trees.

Trees in cooler regions are more vulnerable to thermal stress, according to a recent scientific study carried out in northern China. Scientists found poplars in cooler regions were more vulnerable to heatwaves compared to those in warmer regions.

‘Short-term exposure to high temperatures may push plants beyond their thermal thresholds’, they concluded.

Scientists in Britain are beginning to look at ‘sudden branch drop syndrome’. Long periods of hot, dry weather can cause branches to drop off suddenly, especially if the hot, dry spell is followed by a sudden downpour.

Sudden branch drop, also known as limb failure or summer branch drop is a phenomenon not fully understood by scientists.

Georgie Power, senior urban forest coordinator at charity Trees for Cities, told the BBC:

“What we think sudden branch drop syndrome is, is when trees are put under extreme heat and drought, it’s something similar to self-amputation.

“So the trees aren’t getting enough water into the branches and they’re cutting off branches to preserve the rest of the tree.”

The incident on Acton Green Common on 7 June, credit: Bridget Osborne, Jennifer Griffiths and Jim Cox

Safety concerns

The charity is urging people to combat the problem by watering urban trees in summer to make up for the lack of rain.

A rise in falling branches has caused local authorities to offer safety advice regarding trees. Harrow Council recently warned its residents not to sit under large trees due to the increase in falling branches.

Last month, a huge branch broke off from a tree on Acton Green Common in Chiswick completely blocking the road, and a jogger was rushed to hospital after being hit by a falling tree on the Thames Path in Barnes.

READ ALSO: Fallen bough blocks South Parade in Chiswick

Southend Council have also launched a full investigation with specialists after a seven-year-old girl was killed by a falling tree branch in an Essex park last month.

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar