Local authority attitudes towards trees in our towns and cities need to change, says Bo Beolens
Who could resist running one’s hand along the skin-smooth bark of a Beech tree or hugging a Hornbeam? Can anyone doubt the primal pleasure of hearing the wind ruffling the leaves of a poplar or knowing of the reassuring longevity of a craggy old oak?
Well, the answer turns out to be the municipal muggers who are more concerned by possible litigation than certain deforestation. In a week where I received an invitation from the London Borough of Waltham Forest to the opening of their new nature reserve, I also read about the utter foolishness of another London borough.
It seems Wandsworth council have plans to remove an avenue of 150-year-old chestnut trees on Tooting Common. Is the heartwood rotten or have our increasingly frequent storms damaged them? The answer is a resounding no!
So, why are 51 magnificently mature trees being replaced by 64 saplings? It’s not that they are dangerous, but that they might become so.
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Esta historia es de la edición January 2018 de Bird Watching.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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Weedon's World
Recent trips to a couple of his favourite local birding sites have resulted in encounters Mike would rather do without
Bee-Eater Breeding
There was much speculation online about why a Bee-eater breeding effort in Nottingham had failed. Here, we attempt to get to the truth by speaking to those in the know…
Grumpy Old Birder
Bo reveals the pleasure he gets watching birds and wildlife enjoy an ‘all-you-can-eat buffet’ in his garden…
#My 200 Bird Year 2018
If you’ve enjoyed trying to complete our #My200BirdYear challenge in 2017, or if you’ve been watching with interest but biding your time, or if you’re a complete newcomer to Bird Watching magazine, then now’s the time to sign up for #My200BirdYear 2018 at birdwatching.co.uk/my200
HOLME
Varied habitats and one of the UK’s top observatories
Backbury Hill
A walk to a multi-vallate hillfort with birds on the way
Castlemartin Corse
A relic of a once-great wetland
Lend A Helping Hand
Wildlife centres can often be the only venues for many to see birds close up. Here, one volunteer explains the important work they carry out.
Bringing Back The Tree Sparrow
The story of how one man helped establish a Tree Sparrow colony around his Suffolk home.
The Urban Birder Visits Ushuaia, Argentina
A wide variety of interesting birds can be seen in the world’s most southernmost city.
