[sharkbird2]

As tragic as this is. I think they should plant a new tree in the same location.

I know it won't be the same, it won't heal the wound, at least not for hundreds of years, if ever. But it's just how society and the world is. Great things are made and appreciated, treasured even, and endure for a while, then they are broken by something, one way or another. And you can't undo that damage, but you can start over and build again. And that's all you can ever do. And although it may not seem like much now, there can perhaps still be greatness in the future again if we start to build it now. That greatness may not be exactly the same as the greatness of old, but it can be great in its own way.

[ClumsyPilot]

> won't heal the wound, at least not for hundreds of years

I’d say the real wound is the total lack of trees for miles around this location. England has some of the lowest tree cover, 12%.

It was jarring to me, you go to a national park and it’s just bald hills stretching as far as the eye can see.

I am not sure if thats just how people like it, or they are just so used to it they dont question it

[tnecniv]

The price of being a dominant naval power for centuries

[hardlianotion]

In the age of sail. Sorry, could not resist.

[ClumsyPilot]

that was a while back, should we plant some trees now?

[hardlianotion]

Yes

[hardlianotion]

I have been thinking that it should be given the to recover the best it can - it is a sycamore tree, so there will likely be some regrowth. It won't be the same, but eventually it could be beautiful in a different way.

[sifar]

"What exists, exists so that it can be lost and become precious."

- Lisel Mueller

[bryanlarsen]

The tree is likely not dead, the stump should send new shoots.

[okeuro49]

By "they should" I think the criminal should.

[rvnx]

Alternative (and a bit far-fetched) theory, let's imagine a defense that could save him:

"Dumb but not malicious"

The kid was trying to get pocket money, and he was tasked to cut down the tree.

He thought it was a legitimate job, so he took down the tree.

This is also why he used professional tools like a chainsaw.

Unfortunately, we cannot identify the requester + the kid had no way to verify the Tree Preservation Order because of technical issues;

(the website with the TPO actually yields an error "This request was blocked by our security service (Imperva)" / "Page not found", depending on the dataset you pick)