not long for this world

Hate it when this happens. First the council randomly pick a tree which is doing nothing wrong except being wise and mighty. Next they spray it with yellow paint and doom it by ringing. Finally (often after a couple of years during which time the risk of the tree shedding branches on passing cars has been increased markedly by the wilful damage) they'll chop it down leaving only a sad pile of sawdust in its place. Trees have been quite happily managing their own succession for a lot longer than we've been around and if the occasional branch drops onto a road and scratches a nasty car it's our fault for building the road right underneath it.
Best enjoy them whilst they still exist...