In other news...

On a chilly day just before Christmas, I had a brisk walk that took me through Roberts Park and along the river bank. I was surprised to see that a huge tree had come down into the river, just beyond the boathouse. It must have made a huge crash! I don't think it had been especially windy the night before but often the flow of the river starts to undercut the banks so that trees right on the edge are vulnerable. It is always sad to see such big old trees lose their lives. That's a considerable task for the River Trust people to remove the debris too. I would hope someone will plant a replacement. There is, I think, a plan to try and establish more trees locally. This shows we need it. We will gradually lose the ones we have as they get older and less viable. Unless there is an ongoing planting programme, our tree cover will diminish and it's even more important these days to soak up water and pollution and lock in carbon. Trees are so attractive and uplifting too. Plant a tree in 2020, if you can!