Lonesome and Lost

It's become known as the Lonesome Pine. There were two young pines here and we had watched them grow year on year. The usual and now half-expected thing happened. A group of chainsaw vandals from SWT, at a loose end, had been sent along one day.

Like other trees that had begun to naturalise the heathland desert,  making it worth visiting, the managers judged them unwelcome; except that to leave one standing is a statement of intent showing man exercising his power - for now.

What would land management do, where would it go if it was not looking round for something natural to destroy?

Well, here's a thought; why not clear away some of the unsightly piles from the last pointless execution. I was promised that this pile would be removed early this year. It was not. Then the excuse became that it was close to the bird nesting season but would be removed once that was over. It is now October.

They have lost their way and cannot navigate between a supposed conservation agenda and the need to appear to be managing land for public recreation. So they do neither with any conviction. If this was in the grounds of a stately home all branches would be removed. If this was wild land driven by natural forces the trees would not have been felled at all. Having no guidebook for this situation, neither one nor t'other, they fall back on what's easiest, i.e. go back to the office and forget about it.