Shame

[Timbuck]

Same story worldwide...makes me feel guilty

51A6E0A3-DC9F-48F9-9BC2-D4AC11947A87 by Ken Timms, on Flickr

[Graham Greenbag]

Same story worldwide...makes me feel guilty

I don’t think that you should feel too guilty. Humanity does lots of stupid things and so long as we try to dissuade and prevent stupidity we can have a clear conscience - if regret that our efforts have failed.

Thankfully we avoid politics on UU (because politics tends to tear forums apart) but so very many of the actions associated with the UK’s second high speed rail project (HS2) amaze me in bad ways. I’m sure that environmentally damaging projects are happening all over the world - I very much doubt that the U.K. is the worst of offenders - but somehow the wilful destruction of ancient trees and woodland is a shameful act and particularly so as we have relatively little of it left. As for HS2 itself, well we don’t do politics here but if we did I wouldn’t be speaking in favour of this project. The cutting down of trees for wood (as a crop) can be a sustainable practice, but to cut down an ancient tree just because it’s in the way seems rather too close to an act of vandalism to me. One can but hope that the timber from this tree is used in some special way appropriate to its age and species.

[kkimura]

Joyce Kilmer said it well:

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

[Ukecaster]

Was that the "Cubbington Pear" mentioned here? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-...shire-54618144

[Jerryc41]

Same story worldwide...makes me feel guilty

51A6E0A3-DC9F-48F9-9BC2-D4AC11947A87 by Ken Timms, on Flickr

And what will happen to the wood? There were old trees cut down on George Washington's property, and they were used for something worthwhile, I think. Yes, article below.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/histo...-mount-vernon/

[Jerryc41]

...as we try to dissuade and prevent stupidity we can have a clear conscience....

That's called "Fighting City Hall," and it seldom succeeds.

In situations like this tree, don't be surprised if they change their minds and put the road somewhere else.

[ukantor]

We're doing better! Our ancestors thought nothing of cutting down more than 2,000 mature Oak trees, just to make one battleship.

John Colter

[Pete Howlett]

It has the prospect of a new life now.