Doing a Sheffield?

The ink is hardly dry on the report critising Sheffield council's inappropriate and undemocratic 'chainsaw massacre' of mature trees. Plymouth council appear to have recently been up to similar antics (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/15/a-disgrace-more-than-100-trees-cut-down-in-plymouth-despite-local-opposition). Sixteen thousand people signed a petition to save the mature trees that lined Armada Way, a walkway from the sea to Plymouth centre. In spite of this, Plymouth council barricaded the trees off. Under cover of darkness, they then had their operatives cut down 100 with chainsaws. A mere 15 trees were saved, when protestors finally got an injunction. This type of action by councils seems to be becoming increasingly common in English towns and cities. The timing is bizzare, when the country needs more mature trees to store carbon dioxide and provide shade. Keep mature trees, wherever possible. Saplings are no substitute!