Trying to save a part of our heritage

What a sad letter from Peter Nicklin, (Star, April 28), who obviously doesn't appreciate the importance of trees and with regard to the campaigners asks 'Haven't these people got anything better to worry about than trees being felled' and suggests they should think about 'getting a life'.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd May 2018, 07:23 BST
Updated 2nd May 2018, 07:26 BST
Spectacular blossom trees on Abbeydale Park Rise at Dore,Spectacular blossom trees on Abbeydale Park Rise at Dore,
Spectacular blossom trees on Abbeydale Park Rise at Dore,

Well Mr Nicklin if it wasn’t for the trees we wouldn’t have a life at all, as without them we couldn’t exist so allow me to list just a few of the many benefits they provide for us and our environment.

Trees combat climate change and clean the air by providing life-giving oxygen whilst absorbing pollutants in the atmosphere, thus protecting the respiratory health of the community. They reduce stress, improve our quality of life in towns and cities and increase atmospheric moisture. T

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rees help prevent water pollution by filtering harmful particles that flow down the trunk into the earth and also help prevent soil erosion and flooding. Trees shield us from ultra-violet rays which can cause skin cancer. Trees also have the power of healing and have a huge impact on our mental health, as studies have shown that patients with views of trees from their windows heal faster with fewer complications.

Trees provide a canopy and habitat for birds while also being a source of food for wildlife and it seems there are many people who greatly under-estimate the ecological benefits that trees have on our environment.

A tree is a natural air conditioner, helps to muffle the noise from traffic by as much as 40 per cent, absorbs dust and is a wind barrier. They also reduce violence as neighbourhoods and homes that are barren of trees have shown to have greater incidents of violence than their greener counterparts.

Urban landscaping, which includes trees, encourages civic pride in our communities and helps to lower crime rates.

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It is also a fact that tree-lined streets can add between 15 and 25 per cent to property values.

Trees play a crucial role in our well-being and in the case of memorial trees are a living reminder for those who have lost loved ones as they watch them grow and flourish.

When any healthy tree is chopped down before it reaches maturity, it causes untold distress for those who love trees but obviously that doesn’t bother the council whose deplorable massacre of our street trees has brought shame on our city.

Perhaps Peter Nicklin should reconsider his views on the tree campaigners who are trying to save a part of our heritage that is irreplaceable.

Susan Richardson

Westminster Crescent, Lodge Moor, Sheffield, S10

Related topics:TreesSheffield