[Discuss] Headline in Cambridge News

[Jean Perraton]

I also would like to thank the organisers for an interesting evening.
One of the thoughts that struck me as I cycled home was the stark contrast 
between the Cherryhinton Brook - a narrow sinous corridor where a wealth of 
trees have grown up in recent years - apparently largely unmanaged - and the 
Midsummer Common, where (until Dick's group got going) it's been a story of 
loss - managed loss. The irony is that it's on the commons where trees are 
most needed - for visual delight, for shade, and to incease biodiversty of 
those rather arid open spaces. Along the brook, however, there could be 
places where shading reduces the biodiversity of the brook and thinning 
might be desirable - which, of course, always causes conflict. However - the 
brook example demonstrates the value of allowing some room for natural 
regeneration.
Jean
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Heather Coleman" <hmc at mole.bio.cam.ac.uk>
To: "SOS Cambridge discussion list" <discuss at soscambridge.org.uk>
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 9:47 AM
Subject: [Discuss] Headline in Cambridge News


> Dear Tree and Green Space Enthusiasts,
> It was lovely to meet some of you at the extremely interesting forum last 
> night.  Many thanks to those who organised it.
>
> I'm afraid this headline is going to cause much fuming and ranting.  It 
> confirms one of the things I'm afraid I thought yesterday evening, namely, 
> that tree surgeons, who get paid to chop down or emasculate trees, but 
> won't get paid nearly as much if they suggest preserving the trees and 
> taking other mitigating measures to resolve any problem or issue, are 
> likely to be very keen on recommending cutting down trees as the only 
> possible or reasonable solution!
>
> http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Trees-chopped-down-without-warning-12072011.htm
>
> My other thought was that if the City Council are so risk averse regarding 
> trees, it's a pity that some of their other departments (eg Taxi 
> licensing, LAPE, discussions with bus operators) aren't similar.  On my 
> daily cycle along the Haling Way, along Riverside, across Midsummer 
> Common, Parkers Piece, then joining Hills Road to cycle out to 
> Addenbrooke's, I don't think I've ever felt endangered by a tree of which 
> I pass close by many, in whatever weather.  However, I frequently feel 
> endangered by illegal parking and idiotic drivers, many of whom are 
> "professionals", and feel my statistical chances of having an accident are 
> in line with my gut feelings.
> Heather
>
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