Root of the problem

摘要

Utility companies are damaging streed trees because there are still no laws to stop them. In our dirty, polluted cities and towns, street trees offer importance beyond their aesthetic beauty. They counteract against pollutants, minimise the risk of flooding, increase biodiversity, lessen the impact of rainstorms, aid economic regeneration and. for many, remind us that seasons exist. Trees directly affect our quality of living. So, why is it that 10 years on from when the problem was first highlighted, utility companies are still damaging our trees? Open-cut trenching is a practice still used by many utility companies. Done carelessly, it can leave trees susceptible to drought, pollution, pests, diseases and instability, both above and below ground.