Blind "axe"

(Baonghean) - When I was a child, there was a royal poinciana tree in front of my house. I was skinny and shy, so I was often bullied by the kids in the neighborhood. Every time I ran home crying, my grandmother would take me to the front door, point at the royal poinciana tree and say loudly: "Whoever bullies my grandchild, when they pass by this royal poinciana tree, will have worms fall on their heads." All the children were afraid of worms, so whenever they passed by my royal poinciana tree, they would be completely silent, walking cautiously as if they were afraid of disturbing the worms on the tree. I felt very happy when I saw that.

Even after my family moved away, I still occasionally visited the old house, just to see the old royal poinciana tree standing pensively in the row of trees that shaded the familiar road from my childhood. Once, when I passed by and saw the royal poinciana tree covered with a pure white “coat” to protect against insects, I felt as at peace as if I were visiting my grandparents on a winter day, warm in a thick cotton coat.

There were times when I passed by and saw people cutting off the secondary branches to prepare for the rainy season, and I couldn’t help but feel sad when I saw the cuts still oozing sap, fresh and intact. More than a tree that provides shade, flowers and leaves to beautify the streetscape, people often develop a strange emotional bond and attachment to what surrounds them, witnessing the time periods of one or even many lives, many generations.

It is not surprising that the project to cut down and plant 6,700 new trees on the streets of Hanoi has encountered fierce opposition from public opinion. For objective reasons, cutting down trees is a very sensitive issue, because it has a direct and huge impact on the environment and urban landscape. Especially in the context that the whole world is focusing and making efforts together towards a green environment, responding to global climate change, trees are considered the most solid green fence protecting us from natural disasters and bad weather phenomena.

Up to now, people have gradually changed their perspective on assessing the level of modernity and development of a city, even a country. Instead of looking at skyscrapers and massive construction works, people assess the level of civilization and development by green spaces right in the heart of modern life. Because that not only shows a long-term vision, towards sustainable development based on a foundation of harmony with natural values, it is also the clearest proof of the level of development of science and technology. How to make nature and the environment symbiosis in a harmonious and healthy way with the machines of human hands, that is the true masterpiece of human intelligence.

In fact, the most developed cities and countries in the world such as Paris (France), Singapore, Sydney (Australia), ... are the pioneers in promoting the role and value of trees. In these places, not only must the cutting of trees on the street go through strict procedures and processes and is only allowed in cases of force majeure accompanied by feasible replacement and replanting options, even trees owned by private owners must be permitted by the authorities before being cut down. For individuals or organizations that violate the law, they will be subject to extremely large penalties, for example, a real estate businessman in Malacca, Malaysia was prosecuted for cutting down 17 palm and clove trees. The mayor of this city said that the above action caused more than 120,000 USD in damage to the entire city. To see, tree cutting causes seemingly invisible damage, but if we evaluate the nature and extent correctly, it is an extremely large loss.

Putting aside the scientific and material reasons, we should know that the image of Hanoi in the minds of all Vietnamese people and foreign tourists is a capital with many ancient features and a thousand years of culture. We often joke with each other about traffic jams that make "Hanoi not in a hurry", about small and old streets with a limited drainage system so "Hanoi in this season, the streets are like rivers",... But those things do not make us love Hanoi less, but have become something unique, lovely, memorable every time we go away, every time we return. The rapid cutting down of a series of trees on streets with famous and typical rows of beautiful trees such as Nguyen Trai Street, Nguyen Chi Thanh Street... has surprised Hanoians and public opinion in the country. Because their voices, thoughts, and wishes have not been expressed. Because of the pain and sorrow, all the beautiful things, which had become the soul, the immortal monument in the nostalgic hearts and souls, after one night were broken and disappeared without reason.

Also in the news about the tree cutting in Hanoi, there is a lot of information about similar projects in Ha Long, Hue, Ho Chi Minh City, ... although the authorities of these localities have affirmed that these are unverified information or unapproved drafts. These are still alarm bells for the whole society before the question: Have we properly assessed the role of trees, of the environment in all aspects of life: economic - scientific and in the emotional and spiritual life of society? The weakness in scientific understanding, long-term and sustainable vision, if combined with indifference, will create a blindly sharp "axe", slashing at the green roof that is protecting humanity. Only a strong and synchronous reaction from the whole community can form a strong chain, anchor and block the abruptness and blind ambitions that weigh down like a tumor on the living environment of the whole society.

Thuc Anh