Beech Tree Fire

Last weekend a dogwalker phoned to tell me that some local Neds had been up in the woods above our village park having a drinking party, and setting fire to a tree.

I went to look, and the tree was still smouldering.    Called the Fire Brigade, and we had to get a tree surgeon in as well to allow access to the burning bits.    It took about 2 hours to get it out.   That’s four firemen that the taxpayer has to pay, and one tree surgeon I have to pay, for although very much part of the community woodland, when push comes to shove, it is my tree.

So this 150 year old big beautiful beech tree will probably not survive.   And nobody does anything about it.   The police are simply not interested or can’t cope - they are a very thin blue line indeed in rural Perthshire, and have other priorities - like speeding traffic - to deal with.   Clearly environmental damage is not top of the pile.

Apart from losing a beautiful tree that has been there since Queen Victoria came to the throne, it is the inaction and total lack of any collective community responsibility that makes me so angry.     Also, if I were to cut down a healthy tree, the Forestry Commission could take me to court for doing so, as cutting down a healthy tree is an offence (there are exceptions - trees in gardens, dangerous trees etc.)    

But if the local Neds want to kill a big healthy tree, nobody bats an eyelid.  

Access to the countryside is well and good (and I am a farmer in favour of public access) but this comes with responsibilities.   Who is there to police this when it all goes wrong?    Nobody, it seems.