Elm trees are now lost forever

As part of the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022, Prince Charles is encouraging us to plant a tree to celebrate with the title “Tree-bilee”,stating that woods and forests are amongst the richest biological areas on Earth.

On the BBC TV programme CountryFile, in association with the National Trust , there is a similar aim, to plant 20 million trees by 2030.

Imagine my horror, having been away for a week visiting friends in Wales, that on my usual walk around the village (Elm) strolling along Wales Bank, over 30 mature trees, bordering the road, have been cut to the ground, and the field behind decimated of all its trees.

At the top of Wales Bank, adjoining the Fridaybridge Road B1101, there is already planning permission, on appeal, to build 13 dwellings, up to Back Road, a mixture of three-, four- and five-bedroomed houses.

Along the B1101, between Elm and Friday Bridge, nearly every plot of vacant land has now been built on. The village of Elm is already at capacity, and I fear that this now flattened field will go the same way. I am not a member of the Green Party but I support green issues; these trees are now lost forever.

Veronica Trubshaw

Elm