All ten trees in Gonville & Caius’ iconic Tree Court have been removed due to safety concerns and disease.

The eight Swedish whitebeam trees that line the main path to the rest of the College all had bracket fungus, or inonotus hispidus. The President’s apple tree had the same disease, while the walnut tree in the north lawn had honey fungus.

Two of the diseased Swedish whitebeam trees had already been removed at the beginning of Michaelmas term after strong winds saw a limb fall over the lawn.

Caius confirmed that Tree Court will “remain tree-free for some time,” but added that “discussions are already underway […] to identify suitable replacement trees and a realistic timeframe for safe planting”.

A somber mood has settled over the College following the removal of the trees, with many students and faculty expressing a deep sense of loss. Edmund Tanner, chair of Caius’ gardens committee said: “The Tree Court we know and love has sadly changed forever. Trees have a lifecycle and we knew this day would come. While there may be a sense of shock that all the trees have had to be removed at the same time, we hope replanting when it happens will have an uplifting effect.”

Caius’ domestic bursar Karen Ball reacted similarly, saying: “It is sad to preside over the felling of our beloved trees. We hope, in time, Tree Court will be back. I would like to thank the staff, particularly Head Gardener Phil Brett and his team, and the specialist contractors, for their work.”

Some students are also concerned that the aesthetic character of the College will be significantly harmed by the trees’ removal. One Caius student told Varsity: “Tree Court is undoubtedly the prettiest in Caius and the trees are the big selling point. Tree Court accommodation is highly sought after, but I wonder if that will still be true now it’s so barren. They will be dearly missed by students, especially in spring and summer terms.”

Another Caius student, due to move into a room overlooking Tree Court, said: “The trees were a large part of the soul of Tree Court and it looks empty without them. As a Caius student, part of the fantasy of life here is to be able to live in Tree Court, and living here without them won’t feel the same.”

The removal of the trees coincides with the College completing its £10 million decarbonisation project, which has also done temporary damage to the aesthetic character of the College. This has involved digging up parts of Tree Court and Gonville Court to connect its various buildings to newly implemented heat pumps.