Friday 13 February 2009

Power, Surgery and Trees


The invasion of the tree surgeons sounds like a film title. The weird events of Monday are now over, we hope, and when winter recedes and normal access returns we will find out what damage was caused by the military style operation. Part of the shock was the numbers involved. Here we were making a special effort in challenging but beautiful weather to reach a quiet secluded area and we found ourselves in the middle of an industrial event. And when people in hard hats and helmets suddenly start using words like surgery and surgical to describe what they do you're pretty sure it's going to be something indiscriminate.
Nigel's second comment seems plausible. Most of us have known examples of utility conpanies riding roughshod over property owners. Or we may have agreed to certain things then found that something altogether different is understood by the gang who come along to do the job. All I've found to date is a pile of birch twigs under the line at one point.




I'm more than ever convinced that the chain saw is an evil in itself. Back in the days when trees had to be cut by hand you thought twice and more before removing a tree. Present day working practice means the job's not done by anyone with a sense of responsibility to the site. They arrive, do the job, go away and probably never return again - because they're likely to be not actually interested in countryside, nature or landscape. It's a recipe for mindless action. And worst of all is the sense that there's a certain excitement in operating a powerful tool.

For Blacka the future should be to get the removal of the power line on the agenda. It may take a long time but you have to start somewhere. Scenery like that on Blacka needs protecting and it needs nurturing

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