A furniture maker says he is "outraged" at a Parks Department decision to fell a 200-year-old Black Ebony tree.

Andre Hubbard criticised the cutting down of the tree in Zuill's Park, Smith's as "too quick and without proper analysis".

He also blasted the process as wasteful, saying workers cut most of it into such small pieces the wood could not be used in a "recyclable resource", such as furniture.

Yesterday it emerged the Department of Parks had received "numerous calls" over the felling of the tree ¿ one of the oldest and largest Black Ebony specimens on the Island.

Mr. Hubbard, the proprietor of Fine Furniture and Antique Restorations in Shelly Bay, said he saw the workmen cutting it down as he drove past the park on Friday.

"I pulled over when I saw what they were doing," he said. "This tree was over 100 years old and was at least 30 feet tall with a diameter of 4-5 feet. But it was being cut down with a barrage of chainsaws."

Mr. Hubbard, who describes himself as "an advocate for the recycling of trees", claimed the Department had not made a thorough analysis of the tree, other than a simple "visual assessment".

"From what I can gather there's no evidence on the tree that any other assessing measures were implemented. I believe the decision to cut it down seemed to have been all too quick, without proper analysis," he said.

"I feel outraged that a tree of this size, around which roads have been manipulated, has been destroyed. I am outraged at such a lack of regard for life.

"In order to preserve the natural environment we need greater preservation orders."

Mr. Hubbard said that if the tree had been a hazard, then the Department should have worked to salvage the wood in order to recycle it. But instead, he claimed most of the wood was transported off to be destroyed at Marsh Folly.

Mr. Hubbard, who has extensive experience of preparing and drying furniture-grade wood, said he has managed to salvage "a number of sizeable cross-sections of logs".

The Department of Parks yesterday defended its decision on a matter of "public safety". In a statement yesterday, a Government spokesman said: "The Department of Parks has received numerous calls concerning the removal of the large Black Ebony tree at Zuill's Park.

"Due to its age, and damage to its root system, and canopy from human intervention and natural causes ¿ mainly hurricanes ¿ the tree began to decline and rot and became a threat to users of both Middle Road and Verdmont Road.

"The concern was that the massive branches overhanging the road could fall and possibly injure someone."

Director of Parks, Lisa Dawn-Johnston, said: "Over the years the Department of Parks has carried out regular maintenance on the tree but the rotting from the inside-out cannot be controlled.

"We had the tree assessed by our two most experienced tree surgeons, and the Senior Superintendent also assessed it after their findings were submitted. It was concluded that, in the interests of the safety of the general public, the tree should be removed.

"We will be planting another Black Ebony or Mahogany or similar shade tree on site in the near future.

"The Department of Parks has and will always endeavour to manage and preserve all of our specimen trees and habitats, but the priority must always be to the health and safety of the public."