Woodman, Spare that Tree

Felling trees near where people live is always an emotive issue. As chartered arboricultural consultants we have to factor this into our decision making when managing urban trees. This poem was first printed over 100 years ago, yet considering its age I was amazed at how contemporary the issues raised are (Sheffield Street Tree Felling?!). The language may have aged a little, but this could have been sent by a disgruntled local to the tree officer in the Oxford city planning department yesterday!

‘Woodman, Spare that Tree’

List, O list my plaintive ditty,

O St. John’s, or O the City!

    For its application’s to

    One or other, Sirs, of you.

Tell me what’s the potent reason

Why you mutilate the trees on

    Which the sparrows daily perch

    Very near St. Giles’s Church,

Why their boughs you daily shred off,

Much endangering the head of

    Any one who walks beneath

    Not expecting sudden death?

E’en a Bursar—though too often

Nought bursarial hearts can soften—

    E’en the sternest Bursar here

    Scarce had checked the rising tear,

Had that Bursar seen, as I had,

Weeping Faun and Hamadryad

    Fleeing from the rude attacks

    Of the sacrilegious axe!

Is it that a builder offers

Sums to swell your ample coffers

    If he may but build unchid

    Where the rooks aforetime did?

City Councillors! consider

Not alone the Highest Bidder!

    Make not of these sylvan spots

    Eligible Building Lots!

Bursar! If you need the dollars,

Pinch your Tutors, starve your Scholars,

    Cut down all expense you please—

    Only don’t cut down the trees!

A.D. Godley, in Oxford Magazine 13 (January 23, 1895)