NEWS: Give trees a chance

I am an avid reader of Spirit & Destiny magazine and each issue has a great section entitled 'What's HOT this month?'. Unlike your usual glossy magazines whose 'What's hot this month' section probably covers Victoria Beckham's latest beach ensemble, the Spirit & Destiny 'What's HOT this month?' provides an insight into alternative trends and lifestyles.

In the October 2005 issue, which landed through my letterbox with a welcome thud this morning, there is a 'What's NOT HOT?'. My eyes were immediately drawn to the headline: 'Giving Trees the Chop'.

It seems that in a bid to avoid insurance claims from people slipping on fruit or leaves, some local councils are considering cutting down thousands of trees??? Plus as some homeowners have been known to blame older trees with strong established roots for problems with subsidence it seems there is a War on Urban Trees ahead. Never mind that trees, apart from looking absolutely stunning anyway, replace carbon dioxide with oxygen and help us to de-stress just by gracing us with their general presence.

Trees for Cities encourages campaigning and you should contact the tree officer of your local council to check if they are secretly scheming to desecrate your green and leafy landscape.

I am a member of the Woodland Trust and, perfectly timed with the arrival of Spirit & Destiny today, they sent me a letter to update me on their plight to save Wentwood Forest which is the largest ancient woodland in Wales. They are dedicated to preserving our native woodland heritage and by becoming a member, you receive a fantastic welcome pack that includes a certificate for a tree dedicated in your honour, a beautiful wall chart displaying every tree indigenous to Britain, a directory of Woodland Trust woods and regular copies of Broadleaf, the charity's news magazine.

If, like me, you are crazy about trees and want to spread the love by contacting your local council to campaign against any current plans to destroy them, or you wish to become a member of the Woodland Trust, perhaps you may also like to sponsor a tree, or two or three while you're at it.

I have vowed to myself that everytime I destroy something of Mother Nature's (by accident of course...would never willingly do it) I will plant a tree to replace the life I've taken. I stood on a snail not so long ago, so a tree was planted in Fife as an apology. Yesterday I attempted to kill a dragonfly, on purpose I have to say, because it was huge and was bothering me while I pondered over my previous CityHippy article.

My husband (Mr City Hippy) managed to save it from my evil clutches and, with one leg missing, (I think it was more than one? - Ed.) it was set free outside the window with prayers from both of us that s/he would survive from whence s/he came! I will be planting another tree to try and redeem myself.

So be it campaigning, sponsoring, hugging or even capturing on canvas for prosperity, please don't allow our majestic oaks and beautiful birches to become the victims of the fearsome fellers!

Act today...or tomorrow...no trees!

Namaste

Mrs CH


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