In this episode, Sarah is joined by journalist Alex Wigglesworth to unpick the bizarre, unsolved case of tree poisonings in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe.

Since 2022, 28 trees have been deliberately poisoned, diesel fuel poured around the base and copper sulphate drilled into the roots, in what many suspect is an attempt to clear lake views and boost property values.

With around $300,000 of damage, a $147,000 reward on offer and still no suspects identified, this is a genuine real life whodunnit.

Sarah and Alex compare the case to UK tree law and the Sycamore Gap prosecution, and explore why trees matter for far more than the view they might be blocking.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

Why are so many newly planted trees in the UK failing to survive, and are we doing enough to help our existing trees cope with a changing climate?

In this episode of Trees in a Pod, I’m joined by arboricultural consultant Neil Davies for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with water and tree establishment, but takes us into some much bigger questions about the future of our trees.

Neil explains why planting a tree and successfully establishing a tree are two very different things. We discuss watering, drought, increasingly hot summers, the pressures facing mature, ancient and veteran trees, and whether our approach to planting and development needs to change.

We also explore what happens when trees, people and property have to coexist, why replacing a mature tree with several young trees isn't necessarily an equivalent exchange, and the extraordinary complexity of the ecosystems that develop around established trees.

And, from a Tree Law perspective, we finish with a fascinating question: could we eventually reach a point where trees have legal rights of their own?

A thought-provoking conversation about how we value trees, how we care for them, and what their future might look like in a changing climate.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.

The original Bramley apple tree is one of Britain's most important living landmarks.

Every Bramley apple grown around the world today can trace its origins back to this single tree in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Yet despite its extraordinary history and cultural significance, its future has recently been at the centre of a passionate campaign.

In this episode, I sit down with artist and environmental campaigner Dan Llywelyn Hall, who became closely involved in the effort to protect the original Bramley apple tree and raise awareness of its importance.

We discuss the remarkable history of the tree, why it matters far beyond horticulture, the campaign to save it, and what its story tells us about how we protect the UK's most important heritage trees.

We also explore Tree Preservation Orders, conservation areas, public access to historic trees, and whether our current legal protections are enough to safeguard these irreplaceable living landmarks for future generations.

If you've ever wondered why some trees become part of our national identity, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

🎙️ Enjoying the podcast?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can leave me a voice message at www.speakpipe.com/treelaw – your questions or reflections might even feature in a future episode.

🎧 Huge thanks to Mike at Making Digital Real for producing and editing this episode to such a high standard.