Re your editorial on the Great Barrier Reef and “the values that money can’t measure” (29 June), Dieter Helm’s “natural capital” approach recognises that some assets are literally priceless and must be maintained.
As an example, the drainage path of the river Bann is being degraded at a great and almost irreversible rate. Lough Neagh, which is in its course, has been losing its characteristic fenland vegetation through nitrification from slurry runoff. The once vast flocks of overwintering wildfowl are long gone.
Further north, Lough Beg is one of the best sites for overwintering wild whooper swans in Europe. The Northern Irish transport department wishes to drive a new dual carriageway through its flood plain, an astonishing piece of environmental and cultural vandalism, turning something priceless into something worthless in the name of progress.
Phil Allen
Carrickfergus, County Antrim
• I must heartily disagree with your correspondent who says that no tradition or religion gives nature value in itself (Tackling the plastic bottle crisis and our wider disregard for nature, Letters, 1 July). Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’ or Care of our Common Home does exactly that. It was hailed by the Guardian as a very significant document (Editorial, 19 June 2015) and I would say that it is the greatest document ever written on our relationship with the environment. It deserves to be read by everyone with a concern about poverty and climate change.
Canon Paul Townsend
Winchester
• While the actions of Sheffield city council have received nationwide coverage (I’m defying the council I serve on to stop it felling trees, theguardian.com, 29 June), when it comes to street trees it is far from alone. Urban residents in Britain are increasingly condemned to live in tree-less asphalt deserts. Highway authorities demand large commuted payments from developers towards the future maintenance of street trees, with the result that there often just aren’t any. I spent 35 years as a town planner in the UK but, having seen the care other European countries take in the design of urban places, I would find it embarrassing to bring people from those countries to show them the places we are creating for our own people to live.
Philip Bisatt
Taunton, Somerset
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters
