CITY of York Council has another chance to refuse an application to fell a beautiful beech tree in Fulford.

If you remember the Connaught Court beeches prepare for dj vu. This tree at Fulford Cross is about 150 years old and is "protected" by a council tree preservation order. Fulford residents value the tree and don't want it chopped down.

There are two conflicting tree surveys. The land-owners are considering how the land might be developed (high density houses or flats no doubt). They have commissioned an arboriculturalist who said the tree is a "possible potential danger". Unfortunately for the tree perhaps, the council ownes the site.

The roots of our heritage are being ripped out of historic towns and cities nationwide, including York.

An essential part of any city is not only the heritage of its important buildings, but also its trees.

Ancient trees are of immense and irreplaceable value. We play under them, climb up them, and catch their autumn leaves.

We meet and talk under them, and even get married under them. We shelter beneath them from sun and rain, photograph their beauty and mourn their loss.

Why should we protect them? Because they're worth it.

So why do ancient trees keep getting axed? So long as tree surgeons repeatedly use unreliable tests of tree disorders, they will keep getting false positives.

So long as trees are obstacles to lucrative projects, greedy developers will keep obtaining tree surveys until they get the one that suits them.

So long as authorities are unduly paranoid about litigation, they will keep taking the over-cautious approach and give consent to fell on so-called "safety grounds".

David Wilkinson,

Atcherley Close,

Fulford, York.

Updated: 10:30 Thursday, January 13, 2005