THE FATE of a three centuries old Wokingham oak in St. Paul’s church grounds rests in the balance.
The tree has dropped a large branch into the graveyard and the area has been cordoned off for the safety of passers by.
The incident prompted the church to call on the services of an arboreal expert to assess the safety and health of the tree.
They are now awaiting an agricultural report to help them decide how to proceed.
The oak appears to have plenty of life but is understood to be diseased, and with the risk of further drops possible, will need to be made safe.
“We are very thankful that the branch fell into the churchyard rather than the road,” said St Paul’s rector, Reverend Canon Richard Lamey, “and that no-one was hurt.”
The oak, growing beside the Reading Road, is between 300 and 350 years old.
Possible options for its future include removing diseased branches and allowing it to continue growing, or if it cannot be saved, retaining only the trunk for the benefit of insects.
Work is likely to be expensive, and could cost the church around £8,000 to £12,000.
“It’s really, really sad that this beloved tree, which is about twice as old as the church itself, is diseased,” said Mr Lamey.
“It is greatly loved by the church family and community, but the fact that a very large branch fell off without any warning shows how important it is that we make sure that the tree is safe.
“As soon as we find out what the arbiculturalist recommends we will let everyone know.
“We are really hoping that he recommends the smaller reduction of the tree, but the absolute priority has to be people’s safety.”
