Health check for beloved Crawley tree

One of the most well known trees in Crawley is to receive a health check and spruce-up.
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The Jubilee Oak was planted in the High Street around 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.

As the current Queen celebrates her Platinum Jubilee, West Sussex County Council has submitted an application to the borough council asking permission to check the grand old oak for decay and trim it back to encourage new growth.

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If approved, the work will see the crown of the tree reduced by 2-3 metres to suitable growth points, with deadwood – especially from branches overhanging the footpath – removed.

The oak tree in Crawley town centreThe oak tree in Crawley town centre
The oak tree in Crawley town centre

The Christmas lights and wiring will also be removed.

The application said that ‘invasive decay detection methods such as a resistograph’ will be used to determine how much decay is affecting the tree.

A resistograph is a long, thin needle which is inserted into the tree to gain an idea of the density of the wood.