The Conservators of Ashdown Forest, which manages Ashdown Forest, has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £3,589.80 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The fine follows an incident that occurred in January 2023. Caroline and Kenneth Leafe were walking their dog, Monty, along a deer track in Ashdown Forest when they were struck by a tree that was being felled a the time. The incident lead to Mrs. Leafe suffering a traumatic brain injury, a fractured collar bone, fractured ribs and a shoulder dislocation, resulting in a long hospital stay. She continues to receive physical and cognitive therapy and has had to surrender her driving licence.
The tree in question, a 12 metre silver birch, had been found to be rotting and needed to be cut down. It was located near to public footpaths. Once the forest ranger made a sink cut with a chainsaw, the tree began to fall. When it did, the ranger spotted Mr and Mrs Leafe and tried to warn them, but the warning came too late.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the Conservators of Ashdown Forest did not identify the risks ot the public from tree felling. As a result, warning signs had not been posted, not had barriers or banksmen been used, all of which would have prevented members of the public accessing areas where tree felling was taking place.
HSE inspector Emma Stiles said "Members of the public should be able to enjoy a walk in a forest without fear of being struck by a tree being felled. The guidance is clear on how to fell trees safely and this means keeping members of the public out of an area around the tree measuring two times the height of the tree.
“This can be achieved by various means including signs, barriers and banksmen. Given the high levels of public access around this tree, all of these precautions should have been taken.”
