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Chain protest threat over Oswestry Festival Square cherry trees
Tuesday 14th December 2010, 7:26PM GMT.
Protesters fighting to save a group of cherry trees threatened with the axe in Oswestry have warned that they may chain themselves to the trunks.
Shropshire Council says the nine trees in Festival Square are posing a health and safety problem because their roots are causing the iron grids to lift in the street and some surrounding paving slabs to buckle up.
Councillors voted to fell the trees but they have not said when specialists will move in to take them down.
News that the cherry trees could go led to a campaign to persuade the council to have a rethink.
Now, some of those who want them to stay have revealed they would be prepared to take action to prevent the loss of the trees.
More than 50 people joined the ‘hug a tree’ protest in Festival Square in the town centre at the weekend to show their opposition to the axe plan.
Lynn Wright, from Oswestry, said: “I can’t believe the council’s decision. I’d be prepared to chain myself to one of these beautiful trees when the tree fellers move in. Surely there must be a way to manage the root problems without resorting to this. It’s a terrible decision.”
One of the business people who began the campaign, Jools Payne, said: “There were a number of people on Saturday, like Lynn, who said they too, would happily chain themselves to these trees to stop the felling, myself included.
“There is huge affection for these trees and many folks are highly sceptical of the council’s argument that they are in such decline they wouldn’t tolerate other methods to manage the problematic roots.
“Speaking to people at the weekend it was clear how few were aware of the original planning application and were horrified to hear they are now for the chop.”
By Sue Austin
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Councillors were told – read the report if you don’t believe me, the papers are all there on the web site – that the trees are already at the end of their lives, and will die, one by one over the next few years. That I suppose is nature’s way.
What do these people think they can do – magically charm more life into the trees?
If the area is resurface (and by the look of it, it needs it,) the trees will suffer further and die quicker.
The council is offering (at a time when cash is short) to resurface AND replace all the trees with something better suited for the environment.
I guess the huggers would prefer to see the trees die one by one until there are non left; then complain becuase no-one has done anything about it.
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This is a prime case for putting the localism into action.
Every person who wants these cherry trees to remain signs a legal document spelling out each and everyone of their personal liabilty should a pedestrian trip due to the well known problematic roots of these trees for lifting paving stones.
They can visit Oswestry with a warm glow knowing that they personally are responsible for the trees still being there and that everyone will know what deep pockets they have being able to disregard the continuing and future hazard these trees will be.
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