Ash trees

[ferrarilover]

Can someone explain, in all seriousness, what all the fuss is about Ash trees? So far as I understand it, they're all going to kick the bucket because of some sort of airborne disease (which apparently is the fault of the Tory government ). While this is a shed load of trees, should I really care, or is it just something for lefties/news at 10 to make a fuss about?

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Can someone explain, in all seriousness, what all the fuss is about Ash trees? So far as I understand it, they're all going to kick the bucket because of some sort of airborne disease (which apparently is the fault of the Tory government ). While this is a shed load of trees, should I really care, or is it just something for lefties/news at 10 to make a fuss about?

Matt The n00b.

No trees means we all die.

[AustrianAndyGull]

The government will bang on about what an environmental disaster it is whilst adorning their second, third and fourth homes with ash-derived furniture and assorted wooden trinkets.

[cambgull]

The Government could've and should've at least begun attempting to stop the spread back in 2010. Instead, they ignored it and allowed it to continue, with many chances to stop it in the time since. Should you really care? Well no, not really. I don't know about anyone else here but I don't think I could even pick out an Ash tree. Farmer Giles might have his Ash tree farm ruined but it isn't exactly going to affect the economy like Tesco going bust would do.

[ferrarilover]

Nice one, thanks all, I shall sleep soundly in my bed tonight, with any nightmares restricted to the hammering Oxford are likely to bestow upon up

Matt.

[AustrianAndyGull]

On the contrary Luke i think we SHOULD care. Just because it is a tree doesn't mean it doesn't matter or won't have an effect on the ecology of affected areas creating a knock on effect for thousands of other animals and invertebrates. Everything in nature works in sync and to have such a devastating disease in the ash population will affect this.

[cambgull]

Have you not thought that maybe this same thing has happened to many different types of trees and animals before? We spend all of our time trying to stop things in nature happening. I am one who believes in 'survival of the fittest', therefore, I would rather see something die off if it means that something stronger and better is allowed to grow.

[AustrianAndyGull]

Can't agree more with you Luke. I meant that we should care about trees in general and not just disregard them because they are 'just' trees. Natural selection and survival of the fittest is the way of the earth and it's not often i get someone who agrees about letting something die because nature has dictated this and if we try and save it then we are interfering with nature. I believe in Lovelocks Gaia theory where humans don't actually fit in to any order of nature and are simply aliens invading and disrupting the perfect harmony of nature. Natural selection and survival of the fittest does make me sad though because if it were apllicable in humans i'd never have sex again!

[stevegull]

"The goverment should have reacted in 2010".

There's a growing voice suggesting that the disease was here well before then, and I agree. With how bad it is now it must have been here for some time. A bad failure by many I assume, Tories, Labour and various forestry organisations.

And I like ash tress because they're easier to split when I deliver firewood.

[Gullscorer]

I would not blame governments so much as the minions who carry out their policies and implement their laws. On the one hand, the 'jobsworths' who stick blindly and rigidly to the rules because they don't have the sense or the initiative to do otherwise; on the other hand, those who believe that the little authority which has been bestowed upon them entitles them to rule the world as if they were a North Korean dictator. And if they have a uniform, or epaulettes on their shoulders, so much the worse for you..