This Green and Pleasant Land!

As we approach the celebration of (one of) the Day of the Tree, it is perhaps inevitable that we will see Governments promoting the benefits that trees have in urban environments, as of course in the entire eco system of the planet, and in Spain that has been the case whereas the national Government has indeed be explaining how trees in towns and cities help to not only improve the aesthetics, but also the air quality, and the temperature.

However, in Torrevieja, there has been indignation and disgust expressed once again by residents who are witnesses long-established trees being uprooted, with machines surrounding the Park of Nations in the town to remove what has not only become part of the fabric of this natural space, but in many cases are considered rare.

Torrevieja has a catalogue of trees, created some years ago when concerns started to be raised over the destruction of these natural elements, many of which have been in place for over a century, witnessing wars, disasters, and the occasional snow fall. But anybody who walks through Torrevieja will witness a favouring of concrete over copse.

We have already seen how the town hall seems obsessed with reducing the green spaces in favour of building, but this latest attack on nature, from a town nestled in a natural park, seems absurd, especially given the trend in attempts to improve the natural fabric and thus reduce temperatures for the benefit of all.

The reason the town hall is giving for this latest attack on nature is that the trees are damaging the pavements. This is causing added problems to the physical infrastructure. Again though, a short walk in any area of Torrevieja will reveal damaged pavements (although many have been repaired recently, as indicated in pictures shared by the mayor, who naturally doesn’t showcase the areas which are still in a state of poor maintenance). That same walk will reveal countless accessibility problems, areas where wheelchairs or prams are unable to pass, for example, a lack of or misplaced drop pavements, parking areas which contravene safe passage, and so all of these problems which have existed for years are not a priority for the town hall, and never have been, so why the park area?

According to the Councillor for Urban Management, Sandra Sánchez, these uprooted trees are not being destroyed, but rather relocated, in fact they are destined for Las Torretas. We can only deduce from those two factors then that the pavements of Torretas are not as important, and so the trees will be free to cause whatever damage they see fit. That might seem flippant to say, and indeed it is, as the technicians have said that the trees will be moved to an area, “with more space and where they cannot harm sidewalks and pavement”. So, if there are no sidewalks or pavements, then they are not being relocated to an area where pedestrians might pass and benefit from the shade and protection the trees would give. The trees are being moved to a retirement home for flora. Apart from those which the councillor admits will not survive the transfer.

The councillor has also said that the plan is to plant new trees which will not damage the pavements, but trees do take time to grow of course.

So, whereas the mayor of Torrevieja is in Madrid at the Fitur tourism event, showcasing Torrevieja with a new publicity video that focusses on some of the natural elements of the town, although the sea being the star of the show, the natural environment is being uprooted, and many of the streets are still piled high with rubbish, potholes a plenty, antiquated buses, we could go on, but in this current literal climate, the need for hugging trees has never been greater!

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