The old trees in our city are increasingly vulnerable

http://www.stabroeknews.com/index.pl/article?id=56523725

The old trees in our city are increasingly vulnerable
Stabroek News
Monday, July 2nd 2007

Dear Editor,

About ten years ago, at the end of the rainy season, on setting out to
complete some tasks down town, my attention was drawn to the roots of a
tall, old tree close to the entrance of my gateway that showed signs of
recent movement. Looking down one saw that some formerly earth-covered
portions of the root system of that tree, close to the main trunk had
been freshly exposed. Looking up, the tree appeared to be exceptionally
tall with its wide expanse of foliage apparently motionless against the
silver-grey background of an early morning sky. Probably the tallest in
the area, its spread of foliage rose well above the roofs of the nearby
three-storied domestic buildings.

Danger! The threat was clear. It would only take a strong wind acting
on such a large cluster of foliage forty feet above to bring that mass
with its several branches crashing down across the street bringing with
them telephone and electricity cables serving blocks up and down
Vlissengen Road, rendering scores of houses powerless, discommoding the
lives of hundreds and disrupting traffic for some considerable time.

I hastily completed my tasks and returned with help to prevent what I
thought could be a calamity of no mean order.

The incident forgotten, I am now more alert to the possibility of such
an occurrence in our normal everyday community life. A similar
situation developed in a neighbour's yard. Probably as a precautionary
measure the decision was taken to trim a large tree standing a few feet
east of the trench and Vlissengen Road. Stripped of much foliage and
its lower branches only now could the size of the main trunk and of the
tree itself be appreciated.

This tree is far greater in size and taller than the one I had removed.
This exposure has left me with a deep seated fear of an impending
catastrophe.

As reported in the Kaieteur News, May 30, 2007, following "persistent
rains on Monday", "Two hundred years of history in the form of a
silk-cotton tree came crashing down in the compound of St Augustine's
Anglican Church at Friendship, East Coast Demerara.

While certainly older than 165 years the stated age of about 200 years
appears to have been arrived at from 'observation' and using
'agriculturists equipment'. There appears to have been no attempt to
count he annular rings which may have given a more accurate and
positive age of the tree.

From the Kaieteur News photograph of the fallen tree, however, the size
of the trunk possibly more than four feet in diameter, 200 years seems
a good estimate of its age.

The afternoon following the removal of my tree the usual sunshine
brightness in my yard made me conscious of the gap in the shading
foliage my tree had provided. Its absence had opened up a perspective
view to the south-west initially a bit excitingly attractive. The
exposure of several other tall trees, however, that would surely fall
victim to a strong wind was a good recipe for many more sleepless
nights and local casual comments.

At the same time one cannot help questioning the apparent public and
official disregard of such an ominous sign.

The attitude of our public, a do-nothing talking point of ephemeral
interest, is as expected but what is alarming is the silence and
apparent lack of concern of the authorities hat will certainly
seriously affect any chance of preventing damage.

Should we be visited by a reasonably strong wind, this tree falling
would certainly disrupt electricity supply, telephone communication,
public and private transportation and even water supply.

Other vegetation that will certainly be brought down includes a type of
palm tree and old coconut trees whose long slender trunks, though
capable of much bending, may not be flexible enough to handle a very
strong wind.

Yet before, during or after our predicted inundation, many of us will,
do doubt, perish right here on this land we love a present living five
feet six below sea level apprehensively noting all reports of falling
trees, levels of water in our drains and trenches and the quality of
lightning and thunderstorms.

So this is where we are, we, that is, our Government and
Administration. Our scientists tell us that serious, possibly
catastrophic weather conditions will soon be upon us. We, do doubt,
suspect there is truth in that prediction but are we doing anything
about it? Very little. We, apparently, must wait to see exactly what it
all means before we commit ourselves, as myself and some others had
suggested, to relocate our capital and coastal settlements to some
higher, drier, safer site.

Yours faithfully,

Rory Westmaas