Take a look at the first photo and note the dense hawthorn hedge along the pathway.
This hedge has been trimmed and nurtured for a good 20 years - probably much longer.
Fortunately I had this photo in my archives because without any notice, and by this I mean without the self-congratulatory notices that Sandwell sometimes put up, the hawthorn started to disappear.
Not only that, but also a good number of the trees behind it, and all of the hedge behind those.
The result is the second photo.
No Hedges. Far fewer trees. And another of those plaited fences which Sandwell seem to have a fetish about.
This 're-profiling' started just before a dog show took place close by and as I was walking past, what were then, piles of freshly hewn timber, a lady, who was exhibiting her pooch at the show, arrested me and demanded to know why the trees were being cut down. I said 'Well, it's Sandwell here. That's what they do.'
'But,' she said,' they were cutting down trees last year when we were here.'
'That's right,' I reassured her. 'That's what Sandwell do. It's something they are very good at and they have got a Green Flag for it. Sandwell have cut down hundreds of mature trees in the last few years and, if you include saplings, the number would run into thousands.'
She didn't seem to be very reassured and started telling me that she came from some forest or other where they are planting trees. So I told her that we don't do that sort of thing here. Here, Sandwell already have some forests, they don't need to plant any, so they cut them down instead. It finds something for the rangers to do, and for the green management to manage. It also provides something for the subcontractors to do, and for the Community Pay Back people hack around, and for the Monday volunteers who 'engage' with Sandwell (I think that is the Green Flag requirement) and chop a few smallish trees and hedges down in between coffee breaks.
Somehow, I don't think she'll be back!
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