Stop cutting down trees 'willy nilly'- Doug Wheatley
Mr Wheatley, speaking on the 3D Show on ZBVI 780 AM on November 25, 2016 said he was deeply disturbed when he noticed that a tree that offered “shade and comfort” at the Roundabout Gas Station in Road Town had been cut down.
Virgin Islands News Online had reported on the cutting down of the tree on September 4, 2016 after persons called this news site wanting to know who had authorised it. It is still unclear who ordered the removal of the big tree and the motives behind it being cut down.
“It pains my heart when I see mature trees being cut down, what I say, willy nilly,” Mr Wheatley said.
“I would like us to get to a point in this territory where you just cannot cut down a mature tree. You have to go to the authorities and make a case for it and so on,” he further stated.
Cultural trees
Apart from being the natural lungs of the earth, Mr Wheatley said some trees also have a cultural significance.
He said there were parts of Tortola where there were trees considered cultural trees, such as in East End. There he said mostly men would congregate on a Sunday morning and have their discussions on just about everything under the sun.
Meanwhile, Mr Wheatley said he strongly believes that for every tree that is cut down ten should be planted.
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13 Responses to “Stop cutting down trees 'willy nilly'- Doug Wheatley”
environment and air. Shade is important and instead of hot hot, they give comfort. trees take generations to grow back.
In other countries one has to get a permit to cut down a big tree on public land or residential/ business centres.
The electrical co did the same thing when hanging cable. They destroyed trees instead of trimming and it looked like a bomb went off. What would we be missing if the big banyon tree in Little Apple Bay was cut down? this place of fish fries, music and gathering? It would be a big loss! I'm with him!
BTW- if you see something say something. I bet you don't turn a neighbor in for fear of retaliation. So there is another issue. Start people with something easy like saving trees. Otherwise, why have arbor day or have school children plant new ones in a ceremony.
IMO a permit should be required to cut down trees, especially known cultural and historical trees. Authorization to cut down trees should require a mitigation plan. The Territory should have some type of reforestation programme. Haiti is a good example of the cost of wantonly cutting down trees, though the need to do so is for survival. Haiti is vulnerable to flooding, heavy erosion, lost of rich topsoil...etc due to the cutting of trees for fire wood and charcoal.....etc and an inadequate reforestation programme. Save the trees! Trees need an advocate(s).