MORE than 50 people attended a tree walk around the town’s century-old Hermitage Park to find out more about trees that will be removed during a multi-million pound project.

The walk was organised by the Friends of Hermitage Park and the park manager Melissa Simpson, of Argyll and Bute Council, and organisers were “pleased” with the turnout.

The walk was organised as part of the £3.3 million Hermitage Park regeneration and conservation project, to provide people with information on the works, which will see construction start in the next few weeks.

All 53 people who attended were given a map showing the trees to be felled and a list which identified what the trees are and why they needed to be removed.

All the trees in the park were surveyed by a tree specialist to identify those suffering from disease and dying. Around 100 trees will be removed and all of them have labels stating the reason

Ms Simpson led the walk and gave information of the key trees but noted that a number were self-seeded sycamores and were simply growing in the wrong place.

She also explained that a lot of the conifers were planted too close together about 50 years ago and were now half dead, with one side having failed to thrive.

Representatives of Helensburgh Tree Conservation Trust attended the walk and said "Everyone was satisfied that the removal of the trees was necessary.

Fiona Baker, chairman of Friends of Hermitage Park, said: “We are pleased so many interested people attended, and grateful for Melissa’s informative tour.

“We know cutting down trees will upset many people but we believe it really is in the best interests of the park and its future.

“Hermitage Park has served the town for a hundred years and we hope these major rejuvenation works will stand the park in good stead for the next hundred.”

A Helensburgh resident who attended the walk, Dougie Blackwood, submitted a letter to the Advertiser(page 31)

He said: “Almost all of the trees earmarked for removal are sensible choice

More trees will be planted than will be removed and it is the long-term aim that Hermitage Park, which already has a number of special and unusual trees, will have one of the finest specimen tree collections in the west of Scotland.

The timber from the trees will be retained and recycled for other projects within the park and some of the stumps will be left in place to be carved as part of an art project or turned into a wildlife hotel.