Save the Cedar tree at the Guessens, Welwyn planted between 1730-1765

Do you think Welwyn Hatfield Council should allow an iconic ancient Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) tree in the heart of the village to be cut down? 

If not please, add your name to this petition and share it with your friends and neighbours.

The new owners of the Guessens, a Grade II rated building, whose name stems from a 14th Century farmer, Stephen De Guessing, in Welwyn, have applied to cut the tree down despite being aware of the tree and knowing its a conservation area and protected by a Tree Preservation Order.  

A survey carried out in 2018 said the tree was in good condition. The latest lower-level survey paid for by the residents was not exhaustive despite the importance of the tree.  

A Cedar of Lebanon of a similar age at Digswell House was removed a few years ago using the same justification. On removal, the tree was found to be sound and, with hindsight, should have been retained and actively maintained. A significant component of this historical landscape was needlessly lost!

This stately, aromatic, gigantic tree was probably planted when Guessens was the home of a noteworthy poet and dramatist, Dr Edward Young, who was also the rector of Welwyn. You can see it easily from the Codicote Road and Church Stree over the roof of the Guessens.  

It is important to understand that a hollow tree can still be a healthy tree worth retaining. Even if the tree has deteriorated, the value it provides to the amenity demands it is not removed but actively maintained.  

One of the most majestic of all planted trees with its layers of branches and grey-green foliage, cedar is part of the enduring landscape of some of our grandest estates. We are incredibly lucky to have one in Welwyn. However, Cedars are not commonly planted today. They can live for up to 1,000 years, and as with the great oak, they take 300 years to grow, 300 years to live and 300 years to die. Their importance qualifies Cedrus libani for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. Despite being part of our history, Hertfordshire is likely to lose all of its Cedars within the next 40 years.

Sean Lally-Randall    Contact the author of the petition