A new play area at the National Arboretum designed to help children 'connect with nature' has been built beneath trees that drop poisonous berries. Two playgrounds, called Branch Out and Holford Hollow, feature climbing poles, ropes and a giant web-like structure. But they are tucked away among yew trees, which produce small orange or red berries that are attractive to children – but deadly if eaten.
Well, really, who'd eat berries they didn't know anything about?
It comes months after a coroner expressed concern about the hidden danger yew berries pose after a boy collapsed and died from eating them during a walk in a park with his father.
Ah.
The source, who asked not to be named, added the site for the play area had been chosen because it was a 'natural clearing' – but pointed out it was only clear because the extremely toxic yew trees had suppressed other plants.
I guess these days, we can't even expect the people who run the National Arboretum to know anything about trees...
Last week, bosses put up some small signs reading: 'Caution. Most berries in the arboretum are not safe to eat. If you see them on the floor or in the trees please leave them where they are.' However, staff feared these signs were not obvious or specific enough.
Stick a skull and crossbones icon on them then.
Why not chop down the trees? Didn't Bill Gates tell us that killing trees saves the climate?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised to find that being proposed as a 'solution' in due course
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