December 2023
As we reach the end of another year it’s surprising how much trees have featured in our consciousness. Opponents of the HS2 railway have protested at the destruction of ancient woodland and particular trees. Apparently, a treasured pear tree near to Leamington Spa has been successfully moved. Plymouth council were served an injunction in the hope of preventing the felling of over 100 trees to clear a site for a multimillion pound regeneration scheme. Unfortunately it was too late to stop the devastation which was carried out overnight because the council knew it would attract public protests.
Of course, nobody could be unaware of the need to clear trees at roadsides both because of Ash dieback, and the problems of diseases affecting other trees, such as Horse Chestnut Bleeding Canker. For longer than a decade the disease Xylella Fastidiosa has been spreading throughout Europe, killing olive trees, oleanders, and almond trees. Although it sounds like a magic spell uttered by Harry Potter, the disease has destroyed the livelihood of many farmers, and has been as virulent as a pandemic. As climate change has altered the habits of many insects, the UK has faced new challenges in the form of plant diseases carried by parasitic beetles which had not been found in Britain in years gone by. Add to this, the difficulties which result when floods are followed by drought, then by winds which uproot already weakened and exposed mature trees. Country people have woken to horizons which are now denuded of features which they had known and loved all their lives. It can be a vivid emotional experience to see the absence of a tree one has known as a landmark since childhood. So, it’s no surprise that the loss of the Sycamore-Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall left many people feeling angry and bereaved.
Arrowsmith was a student at Durham and worked as a volunteer in the 1970s with the County Wildlife Trust. The trust had a tree officer – of Estonian ancestry – who was vehement in insisting that Sycamores are non-native trees and ought not to be encouraged. They were apparently introduced from Central and Southern Europe during the late Middle Ages, and the Egyptian Book of the Dead credits sycamores as features of the paradise where souls find rest. My friend, the tree officer thought they should go back to Egypt and die. They probably would die too, because they use a lot of water and take resources from other more useful trees.
Joni Mitchell sang: “They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum and charged the people a dollar and a half just to see ’em.” Westonbirt and Batsford each boast an arboretum, where many non-native trees can be seen, and over recent centuries the grounds of many country houses have also welcomed exotic foreign trees. Unfortunately, the rise in average annual temperatures will make it increasingly difficult to keep many of them in good health. For instance, in the Abbey Grounds near the bridge at the Roman Wall end, on the bank where the smaller pond is adjacent to the Abbey Lake there is a small stand of Japanese Katsura trees. Sometimes called the Toffee Apple Tree, it has a sugary scent in Autumn. Unfortunately, it is likely to be adversely affected by rising temperatures. Joni’s song reminds us that we don’t know what we’ve got ’til it’s gone.
So, I’d like to make a suggestion: this Christmas, maybe you could consider not killing a tree and bringing it into your home. Choose a live tree or try a little ‘Artificial Reality’ this year!
A Reader’s Response to Arrowsmith’s article on ramblers last month.
I usually enjoy Arrowsmith’s column in Ciren Scene, but I must take him to task over his paragraph concerning Ramblers. I belong to Cirencester Ramblers which is part of the national Ramblers Association. We walk in the countryside because we enjoy it and respect the countryside code and the people who live and work in the countryside. We don’t allow dogs except assistance dogs; we respect other people’s property and certainly don’t leave litter or use disposable barbecues. I myself have a farming background and earned my living from the land for many years. I find my fellow ramblers very interested in the countryside; they often ask me about the livestock and crops we pass. We also have a footpath maintenance group who give up Saturdays to keep footpaths open. Walking in the countryside and fresh air has been proven to improve mental as well as physical health and counteract loneliness. In my case it helped my depression when my wife passed away and I have made many friends, so if anybody is interested in joining us, they can find the information about us in Ciren Scene.
Alan Brazier, Cirencester.
Arrowsmith warmly replied: “I’m all for walkers joining The Ramblers’ Association, and happily credit them with making the benefits of walking available together with responsible behaviour. It’s only the irresponsible ones that make life less pleasant for others!”
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