'Why would you cut down trees to stop flooding - Don't trees stop flooding!'

The saying 'Out of the mouths of babes' could easily be referring to Lugh Harper Simmance who has wisdom far beyond his young age of seven!

Despite the dreadful morning Lugh and his mother joined a sizeable crowd at around 11 this morning to take part in a protest at Greenbank Industrial Estate in Newry, where a line of Oak Trees, at least 200 years old are under imminent threat from the chainsaw, as part of a Department For Infrastructure project to install a flood defence system in the area.

Earlier this week Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd stated that his Department's position is that there is just two options: "Retain the trees and have no flood protection or remove the trees and install the flood protection." 

Speaking at the protest Lugh's mother Anne said "When we were on our way to Newry today and I was explaining to the kids why we were coming out on a rainy Sunday to Newry. I was explaining they wanted to cut them [trees] down to put in flood defences and my son's seven and he said 'But why would you cut down trees to stop flooding - Don't trees stop flooding' and I said yeah son, that's it you've nailed it.

"He couldn't understand why they would cut down these lovely trees!"

The Woodland Trusts website explains "We can respond to flooding by planting more trees. They help to reduce flooding in a number of ways, all while sequestering carbon, adding value to our lives, and much more."

Heres just a couple of quotes from the site:

"Trees, shrubs and deadwood along riverbanks and on floodplains act as a drag on flood waters, holding back water and slowing the flow at times of flooding."

"Root systems help water penetrate deeper into the soil at a faster rate under and around trees. This means less surface run-off and more water storage in the soil."

"Rain hits the ground at higher speeds where there is a lack of tree cover. A canopy of leaves, branches and trunks slows down the rain before it hits the ground simply by getting in the way."

Check out the full article at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk