Житель Йорка назвал идею нанесения штрих-кодов на деревья глупостью

Barcode for public trees is a zany idea It is rare for me to laugh out loud at one of D M Deamer’s letters, but his zany idea of a barcode on public trees with their assumed lifespan is uneducated nonsense. Firstly, the lifespans he quotes are wildly inaccurate; my granny had a giant weeping willow which she planted on her wedding day and it came to the end of its life just over 100 years later. My weeping willow is pollarded every five years and this sort of pruning can keep trees alive and healthy for many times their average natural lifespan. I have two Bramley apple trees which were planted and bearing fruit before our house was built in 1927, so where did he get his 20-year lifespan from? Tree health and safety is best ascertained with a regular inspection from a trained arboriculturist. They spot root crown decay, fungi and the problems caused by poor pruning and can advise on crown reduction, pollarding or removal on a case-by-case basis. Maybe newspaper letter writers should have a barcode which informs editors when their ability to write sensible letters is coming to an end? John Cossham (Treemendous York committee member for over a dozen years) Recommended reads: 'Give trees a barcode’: York resident's idea after dramatic Walmgate incident Why Johnny Depp is returning to North Yorkshire this weekend York cafe in 700-year-old building closes as heatwave makes kitchen ‘dangerously hot’ Beware eclipse! On August 12 at about 6.20 pm, we will see a partial eclipse of the sun. To those who haven’t experienced that unique event, it will be breathtaking. Clouds, rain, or earthquakes permitting! Do not, however, look at the sun through binoculars or gaze directly at this blazing beast in the sky: it could blind you. Astronomical mylar glasses or solar filters are a must. Using a small telescope to project an image upon a white piece of paper is useful, but frustration occurs due to not blinding yourself in this endeavour. However, if you have a bucket or collander of water to gaze down into it has been known to successfully mask the glare. Take extreme care, however, to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon. Phil Shepherdson Woodthorpe, York ___ We have plenty of water More and more we are seeing water shortages all over the country. If our politicians came out of Parliament more often they would see we are surrounded by it on all sides. Has no one sat down and thought that by building desalination plants round the coast line this water could be pumped into the system to alleviate this problem? If they look abroad some mid-eastrrn countries get all their water by this method, including leisure centres and very popular swimming pools and all their domestic use. T J Ryder Acomb ___ Pointless exercise Andy Burnham’s tour of the shires is nothing more than an expensive pointless public relations exercise, for anybody with an ounce of common sense knows why the country is in such a mess, because of incompetent left-wing politicians, like Burnham, whose experience of the world the rest of us inhabit is extremely shallow. Subsequently all decisions he makes are dictated by his adherence to left-wing ideology. Peter Rickaby Moat Way Brayton North Yorkshire What do you think? Send your views to: [email protected]. Write no more than 250 words and please provide your full name, address and mobile number.