One of my Gripes

Some while back a haphazard plan was hatched to 'improve' the look of our valley by eliminating alien invaders, a fair number of gum and pine trees. Our parks department started felling them and leaving the fallen remains in place. Not too bad, considering that the remains would take approximately seven years to rot.

This killing of trees was done in stages, set a number of years apart. There were three stages, the last of which was the laziest. The decision was to ring bark and leave them to die; birds would be left at least somewhere to perch was the justification. The twigs are still there now, unattractive to bird life and an eyesore.

Strictly speaking it is a beautiful area , especially after heavy rain when the river comes down in flood, a pleasant hike if you do not mind getting your feet wet, or just a pleasant walk during drier periods. The only problem is the long term neglect of our valley, one aspect in particular.

At various points of entry the walker is confronted by a sign that warns of danger ahead, the possibility of being mugged. The sign goes on to indicate that the walker should be one of a group, safety in numbers I presume.

Of course there is no inclination to try and remedy the situation now for whatever reason. The only time improvements may be made is when a tourist is injured or loses his life as a result of mugging.