A number of trees in Northern Ireland that featured in the hit show "Game of Thrones" have been saved from the axe following a local council vote last Wednesday, October 25.
A recent report found that up to 11 trees in The Dark Hedges, a tunnel of beech trees near Armoy, Co Antrim, may have to be removed as they pose a health and safety risk to visitors.
The Dark Hedges has become a popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland after featuring as the King's Road in "Game of Thrones."
However, a report commissioned by the Department of Infrastructure and experts at Tree Safety has found that the majority of trees at the site are in a poor state, stating that one tree is dead and that 11 should be removed.
At least six of the trees are subject to protection orders, meaning that the consent of the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is required before the trees are felled.
The council voted on the issue last Wednesday, voting to cut down just one of the trees mentioned in the report, according to ITV News.
The Dark Hedges initially consisted of about 150 trees, which were planted in 1775 to line the Bregagh Road leading to Gracehill House.
However, the tunnel of beech trees currently consists of about 80 trees, with several trees brought down by strong winds in recent years.
The trees are also considered past maturity, meaning branch breakages are common.
The Save the Dark Hedges campaign group has warned that a visitor may be "killed" if the trees are allowed to deteriorate, adding that the increased footfall at the site may have accelerated damage to the trees.
Bob McCallion, a representative of the group, accused the local authorities of abandoning the area and called for more support to help the attraction.
"If they don’t do something over these trees, someone is going to be killed because of the state they are in," McCallion told the Belfast Telegraph ahead of Wednesday's council vote.
Mervyn Storey, a DUP councillor and a member of the Dark Hedges Preservation Trust, called for an "aggressive tree planting scheme" but said he fears it is already "too late" for such an initiative.
Storey described efforts to save the Dark Hedges as "trying to keep something alive that has been in the intensive care unit for a good number of years".
Speaking before Wednesday's council vote, Storey told the Belfast Telegraph that a separate investigation carried out by the Trust has found that only four or five trees need to be removed from the Dark Hedges, adding that he is not keen to bring about the "beginning of the end" of the popular tourist attraction.
"These trees are not going to last forever, and we’ve already lost a considerable amount as a result of weather and natural circumstances," Storey told the Belfast Telegraph.
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