Local authorities and their insurers have to balance the risk to
property presented by trees against broader environmental
considerations.
According to Yuval Noah Harari's best-selling book Sapiens,
one possible reason why humans are so emotionally attached to trees
is that we harbour primal memories from an early stage of our
evolution in which trees were our homes. Certainly, trees play a
central role in our faith, legend and history: the trees of life
and of knowledge in the Garden of Eden; the Bodhi fig tree beneath
which Buddha meditated; the world ash Yggdrasil of Norse legend;
and the royal oak that hid the future Charles II and gave its name
to pubs across the country.
Whatever the reason for our affinity with trees, it was clearly
evident on the streets of Sheffield last year when council
contractor Amey was the focus of protests about its felling of
around 5,500 trees. Residents accused Amey and Sheffield City
Council of cutting down mature trees to
