Sunday, January 27, 2008

Councils tree (stump?) policy

Yet more evidence that Bristol City Council just doesn't care about and prioritise our environment (as if flogging off allotments and parklands, considering plans to mass incinerate waste, atrocious air quality, tremendous congestion and a very poor public transport system... aren't already enough)! Bristol Street Trees campaigners show how the council is cutting down large numbers of big trees and is often not then planting replacements - see the 'stumps' slideshow/photos on their website and you may recognise a stump near you! We know from past actions that they have not got their act together: http://vowlesthegreen.blogspot.com/search/label/trees

2 comments:

  1. I live in Stapleton and there are many stumps in the Trendlewood area, both on the estate and in the park where trees have been felled. When I enquired of the council whether there were plans to replace any trees, they said they had no budget but would consider memorial planting.

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  2. I live in Stapleton (see www.snuffmills.blogspot.com for what's happening with trees here) and have noticed a gradual felling/non replacement of street and park trees. When I asked the parks people about this, they said there is no budget to replace trees but they would consider requests for memorial plantings. in general the council's attitude to trees is lamentable, and rich private landowners seem to ride roughshod over conservation areas with the council's apparent complicity. they seem to attach far greater value to the interests of a few wealthy landowners with purely financial interests than to the overwhelming majority wishes of local people. Local democracy is pretty toothless in the face of wealthy businesses with deep pockets, who can become litigious at the first sign of opposition from the council. Council officers need to become a lot more accountable to the local people whom they supposedly serve, rather than oiling the wheels for a few chancers to make a fast buck. Elected representatives often don't get contentious decisions put before them, as some council officers seem to be able to act with impunity in the interests of the wealthy few, which could be seen to be exceeding their delegated powers.

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