Given outdoor air pollution in Britain contributes to around 40,000 deaths every year, it seems odd that so little is done to reduce pollution. The challenge of protecting our clean air can seem insurmountable, but only because there is so little joined-up thinking in government. Take as one tiny example, the removal of street trees, which are being felled by local authorities at a rate of nearly 60 a day.
Trees have a transformative effect on towns and cities. They clean the air, provide cooling shade in summer and provide physical and psychological benefits to health. And yet more than 150,000 trees have been removed from urban highways since 2010 at a cost of £16m. Tens of thousands have not been replaced. Many of the trees being lost are mature Victorian or Edwardian trees, which are in their prime and have a life span of up to 250 years.
An investigation by the i newspaper found the excuses given by councils for why trees were felled included ‘nuisance fruit fall’, councillor pressure’, ‘shading’, ‘to make way for off-street parking’ and ‘poor aesthetic crown shape’.
Street trees are being lost at a rate of 60 a day
The health benefits of trees
Japan launched a national health programme 35 years ago called ‘Shinrin-Yoku’, which involves spending more around trees – not jogging, or cycling or working out, but simply in contemplation. Researchers found that in order to protect themselves from germs and insects, trees emit oils called phytoncides – a substance which is of benefit to our own immune systems. The Japanese have recognised that spending time around trees lowers blood pressure and reduces stress hormones.
Ethical insurance
The ETA has been named Britain’s most ethical insurance company 2017, sharing the title with Naturesave.
Beating household-name insurance companies such as John Lewis and the Co-op, we earned an ethical company index score of 89 – earning us joint-first place with Naturesave.
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Twenty seven years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance, travel insurance and breakdown cover while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
ANTHONY LAMB
Regarding your article on urban trees, I agree that they are beneficial in several ways, but they can also cause serious problems if sited in the wrong place. Outside our house is a large sycamore (higher than the three storey Edwardian house). Its roots protrude several inches above the pavement level, and make it difficult for pedestrians to pass; in particular this is dangerous for the elderly, blind, children on scooters and anyone in a wheelchair. These roots have damaged our pipes under the front garden, and are an obstacle when we try to park our car in the driveway.
There are many such trees in our neighbourhood (and probably in London), which were planted many years ago, without thought as to future harmful effects, but now constitute a real threat to health and safety. The solution would be to replace them with much smaller specimens, and to plant large trees in more open spaces where they have sufficient room, but owing to lack of funds, councils are unfortunately reluctant to take this step.
Michael
Anthony Lamb is absolutely correct in everything he writes re urban trees. Those trees that by their nature have roots which destroy paving stones, which to add salt to that wound are then tarmacked
over until that wasted resource also results in ever larger humps on our pavements ! And there is a solution to this problem. First I confess to no knowledge in identifying trees.( Weeping willow is my one and only remembered identifiable type ! ) That said, I have enquired from folk that do understand
tree culture. And have been reliably informed about tree routes that only develop in one direction !
DOWN WARDS ! In other words those specific trees perform all the human health advantages with no disadvantages. Their roots cannot rip up pavement stones due to their permanent downward search for their essential water and continue to provide all the nutrients and calming effects effectively.
One would think town planners should know all about this ? And even with my lack of knowledge, surely one only needs to look at many of our public parks where I do not recall tree routes ripping up
walk ways or the large grassy areas seen in our parks ? So, yes remove those with problematic roots and replace with benign roots, thereby returning thousands of miles walking up and down urban
pavements safely and allowing the many disabled wheel chair users safe passages . Finally, please take in to account those with DOWN WARDS roots, on our pavements etc. should not be of the sticky
fruit and gungy or stinking leaf variety which excrete potentially harmful acids thereby endangering
health. Will anybody/council take any notice of these points ? I certainly hope in the near future ?
Michael
8 days and not one miserly response. So far, it seems complacency rules leading to another of the
numerous problems in British society that ( at least so far ? ) will remain a blight on this past green and pleasant land , erosion rules. And no, I am not shocked or feeling insulted, just appalled .