AS tree surgeons prepared to fell two landmark trees in Alton's Public Gardens this week, a group of residents made a plea for the wood to be recycled creatively. The gardens have been closed this week to give a clear field for the felling of a cedar of Lebanon, next to the bandstand, and its Austrian pine neighbour. Both have been earmarked for removal to comply with a safety audit. Commissioned by Alton Town Council as landowners of the gardens, the audit forms part of an ongoing programme of surveys to test the safety and condition of the hundreds of trees in ATC parks and open spaces. Describing the cedar as in "poor condition, with lower than normal needle size and density and slightly lower than normal extension growth" the report concluded: "This tree is approaching the end of its safe useful life." While high winds on Monday delayed the start of the operation, a group of Alton residents stepped in at the eleventh hour to beg ATC to save some of the wood for sculptures. Kathy and Gareth Mason have lived in Alton for eight years and the Public Gardens were one of the factors that attracted them to the town. With a young family they use the gardens regularly as a place to meet friends after schools and in the holidays. "It is such an asset – a haven for wildlife and a place that people of all ages can enjoy," says Mrs Mason. The Masons said residents have been "deeply saddened" by the decision to fell and have handed in a bunch of wish tags to ATC, suggesting how the felled trees can be used in perpetuity. Suggestions range from sculptured animals, as in Alice Holt forest, to a series of benches and a picnic table "on a grand scale, to enable the wood to be used creatively." The Masons said: "The felling of these trees, important local landmarks that have given pleasure to residents of the town over many years, represents the loss of part of the town's history and a major asset to one of our key green spaces." They believe that whatever replaces them should be "an equal statement of the grandeur of the original trees." And they are urging the council to use this as "an opportunity to create a new and positive feature for the park." They suggest employing chain saw artists to transform the trunks into sculptures or to mirror the Selborne Yew by slicing and preserving it as a 'timeline' to illustrate the various events of its long life. They added: "It should be the Alton community's duty to remember these much-cherished landmarks and have something long-lasting to enable these noble trees to live on in a different form." Deputy town clerk, Greg Burt, said that the council would look at the ideas but that it would probably come down to cost. Councillors had considered turning a lime tree – which until two years ago stood in the centre of the children's play area – into a squirrel sculpture, but at £3,500 the cost had been prohibitive. While it might be possible to keep some of the wood, ATC has no budget for this sort of work. Mr Burt said all they could hope for would be for a kind benefactor or for an artist to offer to do the work as a gift to the community. He added: "The money used to create sculptures could be used to pay for three new trees." The intention is to replace the two trees in the autumn.
