I thought as I grew older I might become more mellow, this is not happening. In fact, it is the reverse, I am becoming more feisty in my old age. Today is a prime example and this is why….
When I came home last night my car, along with the others parked in the road, had the following notice put on the windscreen.
My road is one of the few in the locality that is blessed with being tree-lined with some beautiful Acers amongst some other lovely trees. Every tree also had a notice attached to it, advising that tree works were to take place today, less than 24 hours notice.
I moved my car early this morning and then my friend and neighbour telephone me to ask if I knew what was happening. The major concern was another local road had all their trees completely removed only a few months ago. As we were talking, I saw a van draw up, “Tree man! Tree man!” I shouted down the phone, hung up and dashed out to confront a rather surprised man to find out what was happening to our trees. They played dumb, saying they were waiting for the Highways man to arrive with further information, so I went back inside to have my breakfast. If I needed to act to prevent trees from being cut down, I thought I should try to come up with the best way to explain to my manager that I would not be coming to work because I had tied myself to a tree!!
As soon as another truck arrived and men in high-vis packets got out, I was out there…. “What is happening to our trees?” and “You are not cutting them down are you?”. I really was ready to take a stance, but clearly this was a man with experience of mad women wanting to protect trees. He explained that the trees had been removed in the other road because roots were coming up through kitchen floors and recommended that we contacted the Council, his instructions today were just to cut down the overhang and do a general tidy up.
As soon as I got to work I called the “Arboriculture Department” to find out what they had in store for us. To cut a long story shot, this afternoon I was assured the trees were not coming down, it was purely a Health and Safety exercise.
I was relieved when I turned the corner to see that we did still have trees. It is a lot lighter and all the leaves have gone but they live to see another day and I and my neighbour did not have to tie ourselves to the trees – for now anyway.