Letter to the Editor: Love or hate trees?

To my disappointing astonishment, the beautiful treed landscaping at the former John Deere dealership has all been cut down. So also three large needle trees at the former Wheatland Regional Centre. Plus the trees next to the Fire Station. Highway 7 through Rosetown is treeless. Again and again I see another stump in a Rosetown street.

Many of the newer residential streets have next to no trees. And of course tree roots cannot get into nonporous sewage lines.

There are many downspouts, where trees would thrive, but nothing is planted.

And now some praise: the north end of Highway 4 has wonderful ash and evergreen trees. And of course there still are some people who plant street trees.

In the 1930s over 11,000 trees or saplings were planted in Rosetown, initiated by Mr. Lovett, the name of the Library Park. Trees were planted along all streets by the town. No questions asked, mainly ash and elm. The old streets still have them, giving us shade, wind shelter and bringing us singing birds.

People have cut down vast areas of planet earth. Isn't it time we reverse this process? Germany is still 30% forested, and even if you own it, the underbrush must be controlled and the forest cannot be taken down.

And now it is common knowledge: trees sequester carbon, besides all the other benefits.

And here's an idea: our huge (vast) treeless parking lots could have rows and rows of thriving trees.

Eckhard Wiebe
Rosetown