Tree officers in Islington are using a high-tech scanner - similar to a hospital ultrasound machine - to help save more trees.
Occasionally they need to be removed from leafy streets or parks in the north London borough because of disease.
But officers from Islington Council can now take a look INSIDE the trunk to find out how far decay has spread, thanks to sound wave technology.
This could increase the chances of a tree being allowed to stay.
James Chambers, the council's senior tree service officer, said: "Sadly we do sometimes need to remove trees when disease has taken hold.
"We're experts in examining trees. Most of us have studied the subject for years, and we could bore anyone with all the stuff we know.
"Sometimes the trees look healthy but decay in the trunk, due things like fungal infection, can mean they're unsafe.
"This machine lets us find out the extent of this decay, and decide what we need to do.
Cllr Ruth Polling, Islington Council's Executive Member for Leisure, said: "We know how important trees are to our residents and what a difference they make to our environment and the green look of our streets.
"So, if we save just a handful of mature trees with this technology, it's well worth the effort."
The 'Picus' scanner works out the extent of decay inside a tree using sound waves, like an ultrasound machine.
Colours on the scanned image show different consistencies of wood which indicates the extent of decay.
The equipment has already saved a tree on Highbury Fields, N5, in Islington.
ENDS
For more information please call Chris Weeks on 020 7527 3032 or 07825 098804
PICTURE: Scanner 1 - the Picus scanner in action; Scanner 2 - scanned image showing health of tree
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008