One of the more interesting news stories that I've come across this week
was the fate of the hollow tree in Vancouver's Stanley Park. The jist of
the story is this: about a year ago the decision was made to cut down the
famous tourist attraction as it was leaning dangerously. In the past year
a group of citizens raised $200,000 to pay for the reinforcing of the tree
and prevent it from being cut down.
I find it slightly absurd that people would put their time, effort and
money towards saving this long since dead tree, when living versions of
these trees are still being cut down. The logging of old growth forests
continues in BC with support of the provincial government
(http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/01/31/bc-old-growth-logging.html).
The hollow tree should be fenced off and left alone. The money raised to
preserve this dead tree should instead be used to protect a piece of
living old growth forest.
