The festive mood is over and as the Christmas mood of the Holly and the Ivy disappears into the memory a more sinister thought emerges. Ivy can eat trees.
One of the best village scapes in the UK * is under threat. The fantastic and very mature canopy of trees that line Grange Lane from the notice board to the Dower House is under threat. Ivy has crept up and along nearly all the trees and quietly destroying them.
Without the removal of the ivy these trees will slowly die. The ivy has gained quite a foothold and needs a man with significant garden spanners to get to the root of the problem. A working group could have been formed – we are quite good at these, well to be honest a few stalwarts will turn up as usual, but the issue has gone beyond penknives, loppers and the odd illicit weapon of mass destruction. Retired police are part of the volunteer team and could dob us in. Small point but worth remembering.
The now closed event committee had some residual funds generated to put to good use in the village. The ivy onslaught seems an ideal use of some of the cash. Proposals are afoot.
*Comment by English Heritage during an inspection of the conservation area.