Respect mature trees, they’re invaluable

EVERYONE loves trees – it’s official. The latest Trees for Cities survey reveals that 90% of us believe we should be planting more trees than we cut down.

In Cardiff’s Bute Park, the Tree Charter totem pole is a proud symbol of hope that we will start some serious planting so that future generations can enjoy the pleasures that woodland brings.

Yet the unpleasant reality is that we are still causing tree carnage in the city.

For example, developers persist in removing mature trees and replacing them with trees that are little more than saplings.

Yet mature trees are vital for our health and well-being, they are hugely aesthetically pleasing, they absorb pollution, and a mature tree provides enough oxygen for 18 people – every day.

Research has shown that people living near green space suffer less from stress, anxiety and depression.

We have a Health and Well-Being of Future Generations Act in Wales, and it’s clear that trees need to play a key role in creating that well-being. Planning departments should also take a firm line with developers, preventing them from removing mature trees, and insisting on succession planting.

It’s time to silence the chainsaws and show our mature trees some respect. Nerys Lloyd-Pierce Chair, Cardiff Civic Society