Try to chop trees down in Turkey and see what happens

Here’s some photos of the tragedy unfolding in Turkey.

No tree tools here

A million people blog and post and tweet about trees and a lot of what’s written is lovely. One of the more obscure posts I’ve read this week explained ‘tree tools‘.

The writer meant things made of metal and wood that you use to care for trees.

I thought she meant municipal arborists.

Trees Working for you… 4.5.2012

Those comedians in the marketing division of Newcastle City Council have been hard at work again  – get a load of a new sign that Sharon Healey found in Wallsend and shared with me – at the end of this post.

Congrats on Crown St 14.1.2011

Newcastle City Council has done a fantastic job lighting the lovely plane trees in Crown Street in the CBD.

Trees from your armchair 29.12.2010

Glenrock State Conservation Area is lovely. Walking there this week gave me my second-only opportunity to see a kingfisher. Here’s a preview of the trees. Double-click on the photo, imagine the sound of wind in the canopy and bellbirds singing and you’re there. Home.

Congrats to PWCS and council

A few posts ago I wrote a whiny email to the Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group about how they need to consider growing a tree buffer zone in front of their growing coal piles on Kooragang Island.

NIMBYs 9.8.10

No one likes people who have that Not In My Back Yard attitude. But what about when there are piles and piles and piles of coal in your backyard?

Bits and pieces

Another windy day yesterday so council  closed Laman Street to save us from the possibility of a tree moving a centimetre /a tree looking as though it moved a centimetre because the soil between its roots and the footpath has been washed away in the rain fig falling on someone.

Challenging stats

I’ve been reading the Newcastle Voice report of the Vision Thing. I’ve read the whole thing before a couple of times and I look at different things each time.

What the people of Newcastle (and elsewhere) think about trees

I am shocked that Newcastle Council would even consider removing these trees which bring great beauty to the area.

These trees & the beaches are what outsiders like myself remember about Newcastle. Another major issue is global warming. These trees would sequester & store an enormous amount of CO2.

To chop them down in these times is simply irresponsible. To call them the ‘lungs of the city’ would not be an understatement. Council can selective prune any dangerous branches & fence around trees which they are unsure about. To remove the trees to create room for buildings is also irresponsible.

The community relies on green spaces more & more. These trees are actually a great financial asset to the people of Newcastle & should be preserved. My respect to you for deciding to do what you can to save them. I hope the community gets behind you & the Council decides to place their attention elsewhere. Great web-site too.

Jacqueline Yetzotis; comment on Saveourfigs

These trees should be listed as heritage items and as such should be given the due care they deserve. They are older than most people who will sign this petition. They feature in thousands (tens of thousands?) of special memories for people of the Newcastle region. There must be other options rather than simply removing them. These options need to be explored fully and the local community needs to be included in this process.

Valerie Johnston’s comment in online petition

As a wildlife carer with the Newcastle Wildlife rescue service we have proof in both our experiences and data sheets as native animal carers of our group that many native birds and animals like bats, possums, gliders and lizards in fact use these trees as food sources and habitat for living, hiding and nesting in. These animals also need to be considered when we debate these trees’ futures. To cut them down, especially all of them at once, will render the animals that feed from them to starving.

Rochelle Wood, comment on online petition

Have you been troubled by the relentless denuding of Newcastle?

Jeff Corbett, opinion piece, The Herald

Just blatant vandalism, destroying the whole character of the park and Laman st, one of the most beautiful and shady streets in Newcastle. Look at what happened to Tyrrell St, nothing left to hide the ugly architecture which Newcastle has in abundance;if these trees go that is a death knell on the rest  of the Moreton Bay figs. The risk to the public from falling branches is insignificant compared to the danger on the roads that surround the park, yet there is little chance of them being removed.

Chris Fussell, online petition

I have lived in Newcastle all my life and cannot believe how easily this council changes our landscape for the worst. Trees are being cut down all over Newcastle for no reason. PLEASE STOP!

Anonymous, online petition

It is extremely rare that governments are sued for not doing enough to mitigate [the risks associated with tobacco and alcohol abuse]. But when it comes to trees, litigation is high in people’s mind, despite the relatively low risk…

If research on the influence of shopping precincts is any guide, the number of visitors to the library and art gallery could decline if the Laman Street figs were removed.

Ian McKenzie, The Herald

 A packed public gallery last night applauded and cheered at the rescission motion’s success and booed those councillors who stood against it.

Jacqui Jones’ article, The Herald, 16th Dec 2009

19/1/10: I’ll add more to these in the next few days – probably a quarter of the people who signed the petition left a personal comment and they are interesting to read.

This site tends to make older comments hard to find, which is a shame so I thought I’d make some of them easier to see on a post.

The beauty of our surroundings depends so much on the presence of trees and green spaces. Any thoughtless change will affect our health, happiness, and environment and will have an impact on tourism and the viability of businesses and public amenities in the surrounding area .

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