THE planting and cutting down of trees is in the spotlight for today's selection of pictures from The Mail's archive after it emerged that Barrow is one of the poorest places in Britain for woodland.

A survey by Friends of the Earth, based on a National Tree Map by data company Bluesky, revealed that Barrow had just 2.5 per tree cover - the worst in the North of England and the fourth worst in Britain.

A contribution to changing this shortage of trees was made recently by volunteers working with Art Gene, based at the Nan Tait Building, on Abbey Road, Barrow.

A total of400 trees have been planted at the art group's Community Growing Space at Mill Lane, Walney Island.

Several different species have been planted to create hedging, which will provide habitats for native birds and help shelter the site from the wind.

The trees for the Art Gene Planting Day were donated by The Woodland Trust as part of its Big Climate Fight Back - which aimed to get a million people to pledge to plant a tree.

Dutch elmdisease claimed several trees growing in Barrow streets 20 years ago.

The Mail,on Tuesday, December 14, noted: "Workers cut down seven mature elm trees in the Mardale Grove area.

"Residents in the street looked on as each tree, measuring 30 to 40ft high, was cut down and loaded on a wagon."

In January1999 there had been anger from residents at Outcast, Ulverston, when trees bordering the popular Rope Walk bridleway were felled.

The Mail,on Friday, April 12, in 2002, noted: "Fears Barrow could be stripped of its tree-lined avenues has led councillors to oppose road engineers.

"Barrow Borough councillors' anger was sparked this week when Cumbria County Council engineers applied to chop down trees outside Barrow Sixth Form College."

The threat to the town's trees was raised at a meeting of borough planners and chairwoman Hazel  Edwards said: "Barrow is in danger of losing all its avenues of trees.

"We need to formalise an agreement with the county council to prevent further loss."

The county wanted to remove trees at the college to protect cyclists at a road junction byincreasing visibility.