TREVOR HIORNS, of Bovey Tracey, writes: Last year you published my letter relating to tree work carried out by Devon County Council on trees alongside the A382 at Bovey Tracey using inappropriate machinery. After my contact with Devon Highways, satisfactory work was carried out on the damaged trees.

Had the work been carried out in a similar way initially, considerable savings would have been made. Recently, similar work has been carried out on another part of the same section of the A382 at Great Plantation by the Forestry Commission, again using inappropriate machinery. I contacted the responsible Forestry Commission officer, who said the method used was on cost grounds, which was expensive as traffic controls had to be used to protect the operatives. Branches had been torn, some with wounds over one metre long exposed to fungal infection. As a result of my telephone call, the officer said he would inspect the site.

I could see no reason for the work but, if it was done on safety grounds, it is interesting that after the work a large tree behind the roadside trees blew down in recent winds across the road and had to be cleared. In my earlier letter, I mentioned the Royal Horticultural Society's comments on tree work where they referred to pruning damage including that by wind and animals.

Fungi growing in the exposed wood weaken branches, causing them to fall and can infect other trees. Wounds should be as small as possible to reduce the risk of infection. I found the Arboricultural Association's comments were similar.

Previously I had a good opinion of the Forestry Commission, but this has changed and I feel its recent work is a bad advertisement for it.

Devon Highways deals with highway maintenance and tree work is only part of its work. The Forestry Commission is supposedly specialist and should be experienced in tree care.