NEARLY 3,000 trees have been axed in Southend over the last ten years in acts of “environmental vandalism”, campaigners say.

The full extent of Southend Council’s tree cutting has been revealed via a Freedom of Information request after a backlash from residents prompted the council to stop all non-emergency removals while they review its policy.

The data obtained by the Southend campaign group Once Upon a Tree shows that between 2009 and 2019 a total of 2,969 street trees have been removed, prompting criticism of the council for leaving “devastating voids” where big trees once stood.

When the council was asked to explain the reasons behind the removals in the request it explained, “we do not retain records showing the precise reason for removal for each of these trees”.

Lib Dem councillor Carole Mulroney, councillor responsible for the environment and planning, said: “There are more than 20,000 trees along our highways that the council is responsible for maintaining.

“During the winter of 2018-2019 we have planted 316 new and standard trees in the borough, which are listed on our website.

“We do now report the location of the trees to be removed and reasons why, as outlined on our website.

“As I’ve said previously, it is always sad to see any tree removed.

“All our arboriculturists are trained to look after trees and it is of great regret to them when they are unable to save a tree.”

However, a spokesperson for Once Upon a Tree said: “There is no substantive evidence of the removal of these trees, no reports, just arbitrary descriptions that are sometimes just a single sentence to give rationale for the removal.

“Within a three-minute walk of my front door I can tell you that several trees have gone in three or four years.

“It leaves devastating voids where these big trees once stood.

“Many of them are not dead, dying or diseased, sometimes they are just in poor condition and that is a result of the council’s tree pollarding which has cut them right back to the trunk.

“I have seen some cut right back to their stumps and they then struggle to recover.

“It is environmental vandalism to take away essential mature trees that are essentially for greater good and health and wellbeing. It shouldn’t be happening.

“I am glad Carole Mulroney had the courage of her conviction to declare a moratorium until the policy has been revised.”

The council expects a review of the tree policy to be completed by the autumn.

The campaign group is now calling on Southend Council to produce evidence for cutting down a tree in the town centre – just days after all non-emergency removals were suspended.

Southend Council has described the horse chestnut tree on London Road as “large, dead and dangerous” and announced it would be removed next week.

The decision has come after the tree was inspected in May by one of the council’s in-house tree specialists.

They concluded it is infected with honey fungus and poses a risk to pedestrians due to falling branches.

However, a group of campaigners say it is not good enough to make claims about the tree without providing evidence.

A spokesman for the Once Upon a Tree group, said: “We want them to say here are the photographs, this is the evidence, this is the documented diagnosis.

“They cannot just say it is honey fungus.

“The tree is not dead - we saw it on Tuesday and there is still some leafing on the branches.

“A couple of years ago it was okay but was showing some sign of deterioration.

“I am not saying that it doesn’t have this infection, I just want to see the evidence.”

Mrs Mulroney, who represents Leigh ward on Southend Council, has stressed that the tree is dead and cannot be saved.

She said: “Honey fungus attacks and kills the roots of trees and then decays the dead wood.

“Visible signs of the attack can be seen on the trunk, where it has caused large areas of bark to fall off.

“Anyone who passes it will notice that, unlike the tree of the same species next to it, it has no leaves despite being the height of summer.”