Is it right to cut low hanging branches on a local footpath?

[Paul_B]

My house only has a gate out back straight onto a footpath RoW. It leads from the road a little down from the village railway station towards the memorial fields (cricket, football, tennis and bowling clubs plus playground) and on towards the upper end of the village too. Probably one of two main pedestrian routes across the village to get to places.

It's wide in places with limestone outcrops as the surface in places. An old route I think. In other places it's narrow with overhanging trees and hedging. The parish Council hires a guy to strip the vegetation few times a year during growing season and I think residents help out too.

In one tunnel area I got caught out again by a low hanging branch, low for me as I'm 196cm tall. There's a lot of tall men in the area and I've seen quite a few get caught out too. As the leaves grow I do think the odd branch drops lower. Plus after wind too.

If I take a lopper and cut a few back a little bit, only the worst offenders. Is that considered acceptable / OK? Legally I think it's not but to get it done do you think it's OK for me to do it? The correct thing would be to raise it with the parish councillors and let them get round to sorting it but i don't think they'll do it. Not many tall ppl on the council and they've not done anything in the 2.5 years we've lived here. Only cleared storm damage and strummed the path clear of nettles, brambles and other vegetation.

What's your view? How far could I go?

 

[Kepis]

Id just do it and not say anything to the Council

 

[MikeLA]

Been waiting 12 years for my path tree to be cut by council. Don’t hold your breath on that one

 

[Broch]

The legal requirement for public footpaths is cleared to 8' high - if the council are not doing their job you have every right to clear it within the definitions of law. So, make sure you do not take out more than is necessary and make sure you do not damage private trees or shrubs overhanging by excessive pruning.

We often have to take quite serious action on BOATs as the council just cannot afford to maintain them. Sometimes whole trees block the route.

 

[Wander]

Id just do it and not say anything to the Council

That.
And not only say nothing to the Council, but to no one else either.
You know what people can be like.

 

[Paul_B]

8 foot high? Jeez! That'll give me a lot of cutting. I was only thinking of those branches at that height I just don't notice before I hit it. Just about eyeline but when you're watching where you're stepping it's not in your sights until you're on it at times. Or that's just me and other tall ppl.

I don't mind the tunnel bit at about 5'5". I rarely hit that section because they're so low I bend right over.

If I clear to 8' I'll need a chainsaw. It would get a few big branches at 7 to 8' I reckon.

I'll take a late evening walk with a good set of geared loppers

 

[MartinK9]

8 foot high? Jeez! That'll give me a lot of cutting. I was only thinking of those branches at that height I just don't notice before I hit it. Just about eyeline but when you're watching where you're stepping it's not in your sights until you're on it at times. Or that's just me and other tall ppl.

I don't mind the tunnel bit at about 5'5". I rarely hit that section because they're so low I bend right over.

If I clear to 8' I'll need a chainsaw. It would get a few big branches at 7 to 8' I reckon.

I'll take a late evening walk with a good set of geared loppers

And a high vis vest. No-one questions a high vis vest.

 

[Paul_B]

Must remember gloves, eye protection and other ppe. If fully PPE'ed up I'll look like I'm doing it with the right authority. What with H&S these days.

 

[Broch]

- seriously though, if you do take a chainsaw in a public place you should have a ticket and insurance.

 

[Paul_B]

Don't worry, I've no chainsaw and no intention to cut anything down thick enough that a bowsaw or even pruning saw isn't better suited.

Fortunately all the branches I hit are about 2 inches possibly 3 inches. At that thickness it's a very quick job for a bowsaw I have that's still pretty sharp with wet wood type of teeth on the blade. Aiui they're the ones with that wider/deeper tooth every so far along it. The blades I used to drop 20 year old silver birch as a BTCV volunteer in my early 20s. They'd not let us near chainsaws! Wouldn't let their paid staff neither, but that was very understandable!

 

[mikehill]

I wouldn’t hav

 

[dwardo]

I tried the official method a while back just to see what the process is like..

I logged a ticket due to several cherry saplings that were pulling up my concrete fence posts. We conversed via email and the response was along the lines of "We don't just come round and cut a tree down if its healthy" and " "We need tree`s these days etc, etc" In short condescending from the outset with a diffusion of responsibility aftertaste.

I ignored the tone and said I would be happy to sort it my self to which he obviously said wouldn't be insured etc etc..

To answer your question I now have a regular year or two`s supply of Cherry wood to smoke my food.

 

[Toddy]

We tried the official method when a chunk of a willow tree came down and covered the nature walk path 10m outside our garden's side fence.
Council said they'd send someone out.....a week later we went out with a bowsaw, a laplander, big lopers, and cut it to pieces. Pushed all the bits in amongst the undergrowth.

We're still waiting for the Council to come and see to it

I think if you can safely and quietly just deal with it yourself, then most of us would do so, especially branches that are too close to folks faces or make it unsafe for children to walk, babies being pushed in buggies, etc..

 

[Jared]

Don't worry, I've no chainsaw and no intention to cut anything down thick enough that a bowsaw or even pruning saw isn't better suited.

Fortunately all the branches I hit are about 2 inches possibly 3 inches. At that thickness it's a very quick job for a bowsaw I have that's still pretty sharp with wet wood type of teeth on the blade. Aiui they're the ones with that wider/deeper tooth every so far along it. The blades I used to drop 20 year old silver birch as a BTCV volunteer in my early 20s. They'd not let us near chainsaws! Wouldn't let their paid staff neither, but that was very understandable!

After the stories I've heard about BTCV and chainsaws, not surprising.

 

[Paul_B]

After the stories I've heard about BTCV and chainsaws, not surprising.

Tool talks before work started were blind leading the blind. I once got asked to give one. I didn't, left it to the young lass who was volunteering straight out of an environmental studies degree hoping to get into conservation. Ditsy woman who I reckon only learnt which side of the axe to use to cut with after half an hour of trial and error only a few weeks earlier.

I was also straight out of uni but engineering with at least a childhood learning gardening from my dad and grandad. Plus I'd used axes, hand saws, loppers, etc. Not used bilhooks much but had a little. Also, a sickle and different types of slasher. I'd also had rudimentary training on felling trees.

There were good BTCV groups. One I went out with based from windermere / kendal area was good. The guys running that group were all trained. One worked for fix the fells when not helping with the volunteer days. Another was a fence builder, hedge layer and into coppicing / forestry too. He had a business hedge laying and doing other country based work. Past volunteers also went into fix the fells, dry stone walling, fence/ gate/ footbridge/ etc building for varies wildlife groups, NT and other organisations in Cumbria.

 

[Jared]

Heh, had to do a fair few tool talks, though not for BTCV but affiliated groups.

 

[Paul_B]

Back in the day after the tool talks you'd see the person giving it taking the same tool each time. Then the regulars seemed to all chase the same tools. It seems the tools weren't all maintained and you had to be quick or the axe you have will be better as a hammer or the saw needing a new blade. The people "working" for BTCV were supposed to be maintaining them. Some stories I've got. Not suitable for public place, but I did make a few good friends I met again later in life in another area.

 

[Woody girl]

I have a lovely budlia tree which overhangs my fence, and makes a nice cool tunnel for people to walk through on the footpath beside my house. Last year, some idiot decided to cut all the branches that held the arch up close to the fence, and this summer it's gone mad, at waist and eye level. Taking up half the pathway. I used to regularly cut it back if it got too low, but now it's impossible to cut it back without loosing the whole thing.
If anyone complains I will tell them, it's the idiot who took it into their own hands to cut the thing almost to nothing they should be moaning at, not me.
Not only did they cut it, but they left all the branches strewn across the path, almost blocking it, and making it dangerous. I was furious! After all, I was always willing to cut it back a bit if anyone just knocked on the door and asked nicely if I could trim it a bit. That was well known to all who use the path after 23 yrs. I was always complimented on the beautiful arch it made. I've never found the culprit, though I have a good idea who it was, no proof tho, as it was done at night, Sneaky so and so!
I'm refusing to cut it again untill the flowers are over. Then I will trim it a bit, retrain the branches and regrow the arch.
I've left a note explaining on the fence, and so far, no one has knocked and asked me to cut it, in fact, I've had a few remark on what a selfish t**t the person who destroyed it was.
I always carry a small secateur with me, and trim offending brambles and nettles back, on my walk into town, in an attempt to stop the local council strimmer maniac destroying everything. Too late to stop him strimming all the beautiful wild flowers just comming into bloom by the pond tho. His attitude is that it will grow back so don't worry. It looks bare and baked to death now, instead of the lush verdance of a few weeks ago.
All the dragonflies that laid their young when it was full of growth have wasted their efforts. The council are blow in townies with no idea. Strummer guy "just does what he's told."
Grrr!

 

[Paul_B]

Quick question, what height was the tunnel?

Being tall, tunnels are not all appreciated. If low enough it's a case of bending over to get through. A bit higher you might actually miss that branch you hit. Then again keeping the duck low enough for long enough, quite easy to miss the last branches.

I really don't know what your case tree was like but is there possibly a reason for this person to cut it? One person's cool tunnel might be another person's low branches or whatever caused them to feel the need to cut it back.

The path I have an issue with has a cool tunnel several metres long. A few thorn trees make it with overarching brambles too. I'm not sure what to do with that. It's about a foot lower than me at about 5'5" tall tunnel. Low enough to see the branches but still too low. If I cut them back it would seriously affect the trees so I think I'll not do it. I will still get caught out by them and often have a thorn scratch from them.

However, the branches I have the most issue with are the ones that I hit on the end. Some have been cut or snapped, not just me who finds them a problem. Those ends I have only just missed hitting my glasses or one of my eyes from the side. These are simply too high to be unavoidably obvious but not high enough to be above my head. These are mostly just the odd low branches and cutting right back won't affect the look of the trees or make any real negative affect to the path. They're individual branches that grew too low.

I do think though that no branches should be allowed to be a hazard to people which might well mean 8' high clearance is best.

 

[Woody girl]

I'm 5.6, and I used 3 foot long loppers, so it was cleared to the right height ...and a bit extra.
It did temporarily droop a bit when wet, but it still cleared 6 foot. Not many realy tall people here, so it was plenty.
It was done out of spite...I have a rather unpleasant neighbour who is always finding ways to try and upset me, from planting pine trees on our mutual fence line, close to the house, when they got removed, he planted invasive bamboo, and had to remove that last summer, so my tree got attacked soon after. Petty.!