Editor:
I wish to make a plea for trees in our parks and streets. In the hotter days of summer, it is almost unbearable on cement parking lots and vast playing fields without trees to bring their cooling shade. I find it surprising and sad that trees are not part of planning. Cars on my street are huddled in the shade of the two trees I have.
I see parks workers scraping all the leaves off the ground, that the trees drop which protects their roots, hold water and feed the microorganisms they live with. The parks workers are trying to make everything neat by taking away their cover but the trees suffer when their roots are exposed. They then compound the damage by driving trucks over their roots. We water the playing field at Hackett Park but leave the trees to fend for themselves in the summer drought. By the time we realize the trees can only take so much, it will be too late. We should be pouring wood chips over the ground and watering our trees to help them through extreme heat and drought.
Trees are becoming more and more important to our very survival, as they provide natural air conditioning as the Earth warms up. We have run out of time to grow more trees, so we should, at least, take care of those we have.
Joan Payne, Sechelt
