A specialist in the care and maintenance of trees explains why they are so important to us all.
With the number of trees under threat from development and pollution, a tree surgeon gives his views on how to protect and preserve our tree population.
If people in general don't look after trees, then we're going to end up with a situation where we won't have any trees left.
He sees the work of a tree surgeon being as important as the work of a surgeon who operating on human beings.
I think we're doing a very, very important job in looking after what has to be the most beautiful things on earth.
He goes on to say that no landscape or townscape can be beautiful without a beautiful treescape.
With a good programme of care, diseased trees can survive. Large areas of concrete and glass create a lot of reflective light and heat which is not conducive to the healthy growth and survival of a tree. The root systems that trees rely on for water and food are also disturbed by the construction of new buildings.
The noise of the chainsaw in this town must be dreaded by anybody who likes trees. They're just going around and hacking them down for new buildings.
Tree surgeons want to change the perception of the noise of the chainsaw so that when people hear one, they know it is someone looking after a tree. The message from the tree surgeons is to take care of trees. While there are many beautiful trees throughout Ireland on large estates and forests, they want to get this important message to the ordinary person with one tree in their garden.
This episode of 'Tangents' was broadcast on 17 November 1972.
A miscellany of events, entertainment, opinions and personalities, 'Tangents' was first aired on Monday 25 September, 1972 and ran until 1974. Tangents was presented by Cathal O'Shannon and Doireann Ní Bhriain on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and by John O'Donoghue each Tuesday.
