Dear editor:

I don’t share Sean Parkinson’s opinion/assessment regarding NOTL’s tree protection policy.

Sean addresses a number of issues: the views of an arborist, circumventing town by-laws, decisions that go against his arboreous values, the negatives of “colonialism” or societal development yet, the benefits of the past, carelessness and irresponsible decisions.

While I might assess the views of most arborists as narrow, I don’t discount their knowledge. Arborists play a role in our culture.

But I see no evidence that their role has been requested to extend beyond guidance, nor do I think it should.

I’ve met a few arborists and yet too few, who understand that different perspectives concerning the development of our individuated properties cannot protect every botanical growth all the time.

NOTL, like much of our country, has been settled by people who fortunately enjoy many freedoms of choice. Managing one’s little “lot” in life in our town is a wonderful pleasure.

As Sean notes, NOTL residents seem to do so with great local and visitor admiration.

Similarly, beyond our immediate confines from a height of 30 thousand plus feet, as one flies from the eastern edge of Labrador to Toronto, a duration that lasts over three hours at 700 kilometres per hour, on a clear day, all Canadians or visitors to Canada see are fresh-water lakes and trees. Nothing else!

To me, that vast square mileage is hardly a fact to be ignored.

But returning to our own neck of the woods, sometimes, natural growth can cause hazardous conditions to a person’s home.

Sometimes, different viewpoints on artistic endeavours may cause disputes.

But we have legal mechanisms to address differing views and even when those mechanisms fail an individual, it shouldn’t be assumed that a decision is careless or circumventing.

This past year, the town’s council turned down personal requests of mine: Firstly, for a tree removal and secondly, on a tree maintenance issue.

While I disagree with their decisions that didn’t go in my favour, I bear no ill will toward the town arborist, nor the lord mayor or his council for their decision.

They have a job to do.

Their job is not to look after my needs exclusively but those of the town’s interests and the bylaws under which they govern.

Frankly, their role is not an easy one given the reality of our many, shall we say, passionate viewpoints.

Despite my age and though I admire the past in many respects, I’m quite happy we’ve moved along from where we were.

I’m grateful for the numerous improvements our societal achievements have brought about over the centuries due to colonial development.

Have there been shortcomings and will there be others? Yes.

Are we trying to alter some of our mistakes and do better? Yes.

But with all due respect to Sean and those he admires, do I believe we’re better off in NOTL than so many other places on our planet? Yes, I do!