Is Church Car Park Killing Our Lovely Trees?
As stated
elsewhere, the extension of the front car park at Billinge Family Church, beneath the canopy of trees along the church's border with Crank Road, will almost certainly lead to their early death. Why is this?
One of the main reasons will be compaction of the soil beneath the tarmac. This happens in an area called the rhizoshpere, which is just beneath the surface, under and around the trees.
Because the tarmac here is very thin, with an inadequate substrate, it will flex under the weight of vehicle wheels and, over time, will compact the soil beneath it, thereby depriving the trees of the things they need to keep alive - such as nutrients, oxygen and water. This effect will be worse in winter when the soil is moister for more of the time.
Most of us have seen this on lawns at some time or other. It usually occurs on the areas of heavy footfall at the entrance or exit, or where children have been playing in wet weather. Gradually the grass dies off leaving a hard, bare surface. The only solution is loosening and aeration of the soil. There is no other way.
Compaction is usually a gradual process, so its effects are not immediately obvious. Often, by the time these effects are recognised, it is too late.
In this situation on the church car park, cars should cease to park under the trees, and the tarmac in this area - which was laid without planning permission - should be removed. This will then allow the compacted soil to be aerated, thereby saving the trees.
It would seem that, in order to cram even more cars onto their car park, Billinge Family Church members are attempting to grab even more ground beneath the canopies of the protected trees alongside Crank Road. The wheel of this car is parked right off the already insubstantial layer of tarmac, laid down without planning permission. 