Trees cropped and cut down remove the shade, exposes the elements
By Bennette Roach
A call from a very irate Woodlands resident, informed about what he called ‘the desecration’ of the Woodlands beach property/environment Montserrat. The specific area is that which is off to the left of the main beach building which houses wash rooms and toilets, a recreation area.
The caller informed that the trees in the area down on the beach level had been cut down and trimmed/topped in some areas.
On visiting the scene following this information we met someone who pointed out where the ‘destruction’ had taken place. He turned out to have witness the ‘job’ being done, described as authorized by residents who lived further up the hill from the beach and who wanted to improve their view unimpeded.
He explained: “Well I came down about two o’clock Saturday and someone’s (name withheld) down here with his crew, and they are busy in the process of chain-sawing trees, and it concerned me greatly,” he said.
He explains that he comes down here two or three times a day. “I enjoy this area and I ask him sort of jokingly, “are you clearing land for a house or something?” He said the man laughed and says, “no, just topping the trees…just doing a bit of pruning.”
The unhappy witness said he left as he was in a hurry at the time and, “I didn’t have time to talk so I left. I came down about five I guess and an attorney is here,” who he says comes down quite a bit with his kids. “He saw it and said he told the man (name withheld) to stop immediately because he’s the lawyer for the Trust”
Our witness said the attorney told the headman, he knows that most of this is Trust land and he was very concerned that this is illegal. The attorney warned that not only this could be (National) Trust land but it was his impression that all ghat land in Montserrat is he used as a nature preserve…
A conversation ensued where the two decided they would confirm the position with the MNT (Montserrat National Trust).
The next day our witness said he met the man down here the next day. “He had his guys down here trying to clean it up.” He said they weren’t cutting anymore trees, telling that the man said, they wanted to clean it up and that he had talked to the Trust as well.
Further investigation had revealed that this ‘man’ had been hired by residents as described earlier.
Two female visitors to the area express sadness
Two tourists visiting the area noted the damage to the area and one said. “I’m Sylvia and I’m across from London and it’s my last day in Montserrat. I’ve had two weeks here it’s been marvelous and I’ve been impressed by the beauty of Montserrat and the greenness.”
The other who is also a visitor, but on tour of duty to Montserrat who by coincidence is working at the MNT, said: “I’m also from London my name is Francesca, describing that she actually is “working at the Montserrat National Trust at the moment with the cataloging and digitization.”
She said. “this was the first time we’ve been to Woodland beach. We’ve been to all the other beaches and just struck by how natural they are and the beauty of the sand and the trees around.”
“I was outraged when I came down today,” she said, to see the destruction of these trees, I think it seems pointless. I can’t see what anyone’s got to gain from it, and they’ve just lopped the top off the trees, ruined a beautiful picnic area which would have been sheltered and pretty, describing well the area. “It’s Woodlands beach and we’d expect the woods, and they just thrown the branches in the corner.”
She lamented further, “I think it’s very sad, I hope the trees grow up soon but I also hope that you prosecute whoever did it because I think it’s outrageous that someone thinks that they can come into a public space, a place of beauty and ruin it like this.”
The National Trust when contacted said that that area of land down to the ghaut was in fact owned privately, but the trust had been like other areas been entrusted with preserving the area surrounding the beach and had been maintaining and upgrading the area as a major beach spot and attraction.
The MNT president advised that they were pursuing the matter to find out what the legalities are involved in the destroying of trees in areas such as those on or near the beach privately owned or otherwise as they having been, though not legislatively vested, with looking after the area, as above where the major beach facility located.
Photos show the area and the damage done to the recreating area.
