Fill view with community art

It is time that some proper action was taken against the vandals who destroy trees.

Apparently the view of Lion Island for the people in The Esplanade is better without the trees.

Chris Holstein had it nearly right when he had a container dumped at a tree vandalism site, but not quite.

When looking at the issue of vandalism, say, graffiti, Police will search young people's school books and bags, looking for tags.

Young people are "invited" to the police station for interviews when there is some suspicion that they might be a graffiti artist.

Graffiti is so despised, that there is a call to stop selling cans of spray paint.

I think in the same light, chain saws should be only sold to licensed tree fellers, and a "buy-back" of chain saws, particularly of the people who live in waterfront houses.

Vandals who destroy trees should be sought out with the same tenacity as graffiti artists.

Mayor Bell must be sick of spending ratepayers' money for regeneration of trees, erosion prevention, and for what?

For some person or persons to cut them down?

I suggest a community arts program along the waterfront, particularly where the trees have been felled.

This would include putting up metal hoarding or perhaps a concrete wall at the fence line, and continuing for about 50 metres either side of the extent of area where trees have been felled.

This hoarding could then be painted as a community arts project, involving the people in the area, to create a mural of the scene that was there prior to the trees being felled, interposed with the scene of the trees at estimated full height.

If there is good involvement of people in the area in planning, coordinating and painting a mural, then those very same people will be protective of the mural, and keep it as a viable art piece for many years. Then, this mural could be removed in 10 or 15 years, when the replacement trees are fully grown.

Of course, once the offending persons were located, arrested, charged and sentenced, the mural and hoarding could be reduced to the area of the felled trees.

Sue McCarthy, Ettalong