Post in Tree Preservation in Quarry

Apr 09 12:45 UTC

I *did* read them. I asked for more detail. From what I can see so
far, all you have given in response is an opinion (presumably your
own, not as someone who is a qualified tree surgeon) that they weren't
'diseased or dangerous'. Evidently the reasons given in the
applications were sufficient to satisfy the regulations.

This leaves me with the impression of someone who either seem to
conflate any work on a tree with its destruction, or that you don't
believe it's acceptable to make any alterations to a tree at all,
ever. If that's true, then the poor council tree officer doesn't stand
a chance - you'll never be happy.

I'm not apathetic in the slightest about genuine problems. But before
I follow an ALL CAPS CALL TO ARMS, I do at least like to know that my
tub-thumping is well grounded. If you've evidence there's, say, some
cynical developer 'accidentally on purpose' destroying a tree (and not
replanting as they should), I'll light the torch and grab my
pitchfork. Are rules being broken? Or is it just that you don't like
the rules as they are, and you think they ought to say something else?

I like trees. I'm all for planting some more. I'm sad when one gets
removed that adds something to the overall environment, but I stop
some way short of a tree-fetishistic "all trees must live at all
costs", as I do understand there are other factors that come into
play. Just because a sycamore gets removed in Bonn Square neither adds
to, nor removes weight to a case to do work on another.

Now some reasons I regard as 'fair enough' (it's dead, it's dangerous,
it's got too big, it's damaging xyz), and some that make me quite
annoyed (a conker might fall on someone's head; in a hurricane it
might fall on someone's head; a lunatic might crash their car into it,
and die). The second category are usually followed by a '.. and then
they sue the council'. Thank 'no win, no fee' for that one. And as for
homeowners flattening their front garden and concreting over it - I
dislike that too; and I lay responsibility *directly* at the door of
the council. If parking permits go up (ho ho), I shall probably be
doing the same.

> If Nigel had bothered to read my messages before he rubbished them, he would
find that on 27th March I wrote "I will be asking whether there is any strong
reason for
>  felling the tree, and unless it is diseased or dangerous, I will be
objecting."
>
>  Again, on April 6th I wrote of the large number of trees that have been
felled in Quarry in the past year or so "None of these trees were diseased or
dangerous."
>
>  So I have already answered the question about whether they were healthy or
not.
>  I did not use any such term as "in league" nor "sinister" or "underhand" ,
terms which are supplied by the strong imaginations of Nigel and Jock.
>  The Council's announcement about some planning applications being
"confidential" comes from the webpage relating to trees and felling. Is Jock
really expecting us to believe that the Council uses ttrees at secret addresses
for refuges? I can only assume you are joking, Jock.
>  1st of April's over, you know!
>       If any one has a serious explanation of why the Council should keep
some planning applications  secret regardless of public accountability, then I
am still waiting to hear it.
>    The problem attitude, or "mentality", is the tree-hating attitude. Almost
every time a house is sold the first thing people do when they move in is to
cut down all the trees. I noticed this at the last address where I lived. On
one side the new occupants cut down some lovely apple trees behind the house,
and paved over the front garden for parking (despite living opposite a car
park) while on the other they cut down the small ornamental laburnum tree that
had such beautiful flowers in the Spring. The new owners just cleared all the
trees out automatically , regarding them as a form of clutter or "mess". That
is the attitude that we are up against. That and apathy.
>
>
>  Julia Gasper
>  Headington Quarry, Oxford England
>  Info about Julia Gasper: http://forums.e-democracy.org/contacts/juliagasper
>
>  This topic's messages may be viewed at:
http://forums.e-democracy.org/r/topic/6iNWu5KF4AmmnJ4MJJt96U