BACK in the 1980s two phenomena, the Great Storm and the ravages of Dutch elm disease, served to remind Islanders that trees and woodland are among the glories of the Jersey landscape. The storm deprived us of many mature trees, in particular giant macrocarpas that were over 100 years old, and the fungus spread by the Dutch elm beetle robbed our hedgerows of one of their most prominent species.

It is probable that in the decades that have elapsed since the storm and the disease many people will have grown complacent about the Island’s trees and the contribution that they make to the nature of Jersey. Indeed, there is a tendency for some landowners to regard trees as mere nuisances to be felled on a whim if they interfere with development plans or the landscaping of gardens or grounds.

There is some protection for trees but, as Jersey Trees for Life arboricultural officer Conrad Evans has pointed out, this does not go far enough. Essentially, legislation protects only specimens which have been brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, notably the Environment Minister and his advisers. There is no automatic presumption that even the most venerable trees will be preserved.

It is true that Trees for Life, the Men of the Trees, the National Trust for Jersey, the Environment department and many landowners work strenuously to ensure that the Island’s woodlands remain healthy and that saplings are raised and planted to replace trees lost through old age or disease. However, such work tends to go unsung because it is so easy to take for granted such ubiquitous features of the countryside and the green places in our urban areas.

As Mr Evans and like-minded people suggest, extra protective legislation could well be the answer to the sort of despoliation which can occur when developers get the bit between their teeth. That said, the future of noble specimens, tracts of woodland and ancient hedgerows is likely to be secured most effectively if ordinary Islanders take the time to reflect on the beauty of trees and on the consequences for the landscape if we allow them to be treated as mere inconveniences to be lopped or hacked down without a second thought.