Woodland Trust expresses shock at London ancient oak tree felling

Police are looking into the mysterious felling of one of London’s largest and most significant ancient trees in an Enfield park.

The remains of the Whitewebbs Park oak, surrounded by its severed limbs, were discovered by council workers last week and an emergency tree preservation order has now been imposed on the base of its stump. With a girth of 6.1 metres, the oak is in the top 100 of London’s 600,000 oak trees for size and could be up to 500 years old.

News of the oak's felling breaks in a week when The Tree Council has published a report calling for stronger and more robust protections for England’s most important trees in the wake of the Sycamore Gap felling in September 2023. The trial of the two men accused of felling the Sycamore Gap tree is due to take place later this month in Newcastle Crown Court.

The UK’s largest woodland conservation charity, the Woodland Trust, has been campaigning for legal protection of the country’s oldest and most important trees through its Living Legends campaign.

Head of campaigning, Adam Cormack, said the tree’s loss was "devastating".

"We don’t know yet who did this or why and would urge anyone with information to come forward and report it to the police," Cormack said. "This depressing sight is a reminder to all of us that not every ancient tree is in a safe place.

"Whitewebbs House is where the Gunpowder Plot was planned. Latest estimates put the tree at about 450 years old, so the tree would have been alive when Guy Fawkes and others came and went in the months leading up to 5 November 1605. It’s just possible that the tree would have overheard Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators.

"It's very unusual to see the felling of an oak tree of this size and age. Legally protected status for heritage trees like the Whitewebbs Oak is long overdue. This issue has widespread public support and is an open goal for the government to act upon."

The Woodland Trust's Living Legends petition was handed in to Downing Street with 100,000 signatures in November, and the Heritage Trees Private Members Bill was introduced in the House of Lords by Baroness Young in 2023. It proposes the introduction of a list of nationally important heritage trees and a Heritage Tree Preservation Order that could be used to promote the protection and conservation of the country’s oldest and most important trees. A number of European countries already have similar legal protection systems in place for trees like this.

Enfield resident and member of the local Guardians of Whitewebbs group, Benny Hawksbee, said local people wanted justice for the old oak.

"The tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage. I am devastated. We want answers, and we want guarantees the other trees here are being protected properly."

Jon Stokes, director of trees, science and research at The Tree Council, said the felling of such a "magnificent" tree was shocking.

"Ancient oaks can live up to 1,000 years old and are as precious as our stately homes and castles," Stokes explained. "Our nation’s green heritage should be valued and protected and we will do everything we can to achieve this.

One of the key findings in the 'Protecting trees of high social, cultural and environmental value' report, published in partnership with Forest Research for Defra, was that we need to improve the legal protection of our most important trees.

Oak trees are extremely valuable for wildlife and can support more than 2,300 species. They're also valuable carbon stores and an irreplaceable part of our landscapes and our lives.

More reaction about the tree felling

"The first time a friend brought me to Whitewebbs, we parked at the Toby Carvery and as soon as I saw the Whitewebbs Oak, behind the car park, I knew the place was unique and very special for London. I take my four-year-old son, Dylan, to the tree and to Whitewebbs park every week. I didn't realise its felling would have such an impact on me," said Benny Hawksbee, local biologist, wildlife gardener and chair of Guardians of Whitewebbs.

"This is a horrific crime, made even more distressing when paired with the looming potential destruction of Whitewebbs Park. This ancient oak is monumental; visiting it in person, it feels wise, having witnessed so much over its lifespan of up to 500 years. I can't imagine what type of person would decimate a tree like this," said Sam Gracie Tillbrook, 18 – an Enfield resident, Guardians of Whitewebbs committee member and music producer/artist (Avid Beats).

"An ancient oak can support over 2,000 species, meaning that thousands of living beings have just lost their home. No living being deserves this. I feel overwhelmingly sad and angry, and also scared for what may come next if we cannot stop whoever carried out this destruction this time. We must save and protect our vital and fundamental supports for life, our trees and green spaces."

Notes to editors

For more information please contact Owen Phillips on 07958 066766, at owenphillips@woodlandtrust.org.uk or at media@woodlandtrust.org.uk.

About the Woodland Trust

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK with more than 500,000 supporters.

With a vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, today the Trust owns and cares for more than 1,000 woodland sites, covering around 33,000 hectares.

The Woodland Trust has three key aims:

1. protecting the UK's rare, unique and irreplaceable ancient woodland
2. restoring damaged ancient woodland, nurturing precious pieces of our natural heritage back to life
3. establishing new native trees and woods to create healthy, resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.

Access to all Woodland Trust woods is free so everyone can experience the physical and mental benefits of trees.