If he hasn't given leaves for July, he's dead. I have not known (nor had any references) any tree that has survived a whole time without leaves. It sounds on the tanning trunk, the tak-ta, and it emits an empty sound.

Even though the photograph he has sent us is of poor quality, it is perfectly clear what happened. The main branches that should be extended through the trunk are missing. Instead, you see only a few thin branches. Someone has put the chainsaw very well, without pity, to brun-brun and blaust. Instead of letting the tree lengthen, they are done with the intention of cutting the branches and giving width to the new ones and reducing the risk of those branches falling into the place where the children are walking. For starters, birch has a weak wood, it doesn't have the ability to close large wounds, and to realize it rots and empties the interior. So it is dangerous, these wounds have unbalanced the forces and, therefore, the risk of fracture is much greater. Children without shadows and in danger. Decisions taken without heads. Decisions against public vegetation that is the heritage of all of us; a wrong action that, once again, will not serve or learn. The culture of ignorance has penetrated us to the bones, and we're scared of trees that are bigger, that are much longer and smarter than we are. We think about the basis of creeds swimming in fear, rather than drowning.

In Japan, they have the cider and the sacking of another muzzle. They know that trees bring many benefits: clean air, carbon absorption and a number of less measurable benefits: ancient trees and forests have long been appreciated there and take into account their cultural and spiritual significance, thus fostering relations between the country’s past and present. Trees offer a break in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Respect for trees is ancestral in Japanese culture. The Shinto religion was born there, which ensures that hundreds of trees live spirits. These spirits called Kodama develop into the personality of the tree. Before in Japan, old trees were taken with respect and care. Today, these old trees are marked with sacred strings for no one to cut or hurt them and for the spirits of the tree not to get angry.

In 1920, the shrine of Tokyo Meiji Jertos was built and 100,000 trees were planted to create the “ever-forest”. Today it receives about 10 million visitors each year, who join a special protocol to visit the trees: they do not leave the roads so as not to tread the soil of the trees; and no one takes leaves, seeds and nothing from the tree, nothing is taken from the forest; the fallen leaves remain on the ground.

We're on the spot. If the birch of our children’s school was born there…