I WOULD like to record my disappointment at the decision of Tatton Park management to allow the magnificent Beech Walk running from the Knutsford gate to the southern boundary of the gardens to progress towards a Beech Graveyard.

Living in Knutsford, we are fortunate to have access to the park where the woodland provides a grand flush of green in spring and later in the year a beautiful display of autumn colours. A walk down this impressive avenue between the trees is a favourite choice, particularly in wet weather when the trees provide some shelter.

Recent winter gales have resulted in a number of trees falling and obstructing the avenue and rather than cutting up, removing and replacing fallen trees, a fence has been constructed along the length of the avenue, and in places across it, to discourage pedestrians and cyclists.

I find it hard to accept, as claimed, that compaction of the soil resulting from footfall on a path generally one to two metres wide within an avenue of 20 metres width, and once an entrance drive to the mansion for horses and carriages, will have any significant effect on the health of these long established trees.

Tatton Park state that it promotes a dead wood policy whereby fallen timber is left to encourage the population of beetles and fungi which speed the destruction of dead wood, a somewhat circular argument, but important for the conservation of rare species. However, many other areas of the park are littered with fallen timber and surely there is a need for a more flexible policy.

In my view the resources spent in constructing this fence should have been used to employ contractors to remove the seven trees currently obstructing Beech Avenue, with the opportunity to recover some of the cost with the sale of sound beech hardwood for flooring or furniture manufacture and log sales to the general public.

Others that I would remove would be those fallen on to, and threatening the integrity of the boundary wall and the unsightly remaining trunk of a dead tree on the left of road not far from the Knutsford gate. That would still leave plenty to support the parks worthy conservation efforts.

I would be interested to know if others believe that the pendulum has swung too far from public amenity to the conservation of beetles and other invertebrates.

Dr J B Glen Knutsford