Living alongside trees

The moderating effect of large-leafed trees can reduce energy consumption of nearby buildings. As well as their beauty, they improve air quality by trapping pollution, they slow down rainfall, reduce noise pollution, provide shade and encourage healthy lifestyles, he says. And studies in the US suggest they increase emotional well-being.

"Trees are living creatures and sometimes in cities we forget that we have to live alongside them.

"If someone complains there is a crack in the street, they say it has everything to do with the tree and nothing to do with the Victorian drains.


"The tree will come down because of the threat of a lawsuit against the council because even if they lose, it will cost a lot of money."

Even without evidence of a link, the tree comes down as a preventive measure,... there is added pressure on trees "below street" from gas, electricity, water and cable television.

As these big landscape trees are lost, what is being planted in their place are so-called "lollipop trees", which are less of a threat to properties but don't have the same benefits in terms of biodiversity, clean air and conveying a sense of well-being.


Source:By Tom Geoghegan, BBC News Magazine
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7009951.stm