‘I wish it would still be there when I get home’: The heartbreak of losing a neighbourhood tree
Last year, the felling of a tree became one of the UK’s biggest news stories. When the Sycamore Gap tree along Hadrian’s Wall was illegally cut down, the reaction from the public was not just one of outrage but of profound sadness. But it’s not just the UK. Across Europe, councils often chop down trees to the dismay of those who have come to love the arboreal cityscape. It’s not just the emotional impact that inspires residents to speak up for this vital symbol of nature. Their carbon drawdown power is taken away too, along with biodiversity and shade. Here are three first-person accounts from...