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開発と森林
筆者は埼玉県所沢市の多摩湖近くに住んでいる。小さな谷の西側が住宅地、谷間の草地と小川を隔てて東側が森林地帯という緑豊かな環境で、自然破壊を防ぐための市の条例もある。2年前、宅地開発業者がこの草地を利用した建設計画を住民に説明しに来たときも、小川の向こう側の森林は伐採しないという約束だったのだ。しかし、筆者がある朝、不快な音に目覚めてみると…。
We live in a small valley at the edge of Tokorozawa City, near Tama Reservoir. The western slope of the valley is built up with houses; the eastern slope is a forest. Until two years ago the bottom of the valley was a grassy meadow, separated from the forest by a little stream. Cats, dogs and children often played there, adults too. It was sometimes the scene of softball games. In August it became a festival ground for Bon-odori.
But two years ago we ("we" means the jichikai or self-governing organization of the valley residents) received notice that a construction company had gotten a permit to build houses where the meadow was. This seemed strange, because there is supposed to be a Tokorozawa ordinance preventing further destruction of nature for development within the city. But somehow they had gotten the permit.
A meeting was held at which a representative of the company explained the project. We gathered in the meadow and heard him explain how many houses would be built and how long it would take. Many questions were asked. I asked one: "What trees do you plan to cut down?"
"Just to the edge of the meadow," the man answered. Looking directly at me, he said, "We will not cut down any trees on the other side of the stream."
Construction is still going on. Drab, shapeless houses are going up one after another. They are so ugly it makes one wonder: Were these houses actually designed by a person with a degree in that beautiful art called architecture? When I see houses like these going up I always feel sorry for the carpenters, who do the work but have no control over the design. How sad it must be to expend all that skill and labor to achieve such a tawdry result!
And then ― not surprisingly ― the promise made by the company representative at the meeting in the meadow turned out to be a lie. All the trees cut down the other day were on the far side of the stream. I talked to the man in charge of the work and told him, "You know, the company promised not to cut down any of these trees."
"Some of the trees were touching the houses," was his reply. In fact, they weren't, but even if they had been, that would only mean that the houses were built so as to touch the trees. The trees, after all, were there first.
But this, I suppose, is the way developers think: "A row of trees? They're not part of our plan. Cut them down."
Here is something to think about: When the developers finally get the whole world developed, what will "the world" be?
We were awakened by a symphony of ugly sounds: the screech of a chain saw, the crack-crash of falling trees, the whine of a winch pulling logs. By the end of the day a fine row of trees had disappeared. I counted at least 35 bleeding stumps.
We live in a small valley at the edge of Tokorozawa City, near Tama Reservoir. The western slope of the valley is built up with houses; the eastern slope is a forest. Until two years ago the bottom of the valley was a grassy meadow, separated from the forest by a little stream. Cats, dogs and children often played there, adults too. It was sometimes the scene of softball games. In August it became a festival ground for Bon-odori.
But two years ago we ("we" means the jichikai or self-governing organization of the valley residents) received notice that a construction company had gotten a permit to build houses where the meadow was. This seemed strange, because there is supposed to be a Tokorozawa ordinance preventing further destruction of nature for development within the city. But somehow they had gotten the permit.
A meeting was held at which a representative of the company explained the project. We gathered in the meadow and heard him explain how many houses would be built and how long it would take. Many questions were asked. I asked one: "What trees do you plan to cut down?"
"Just to the edge of the meadow," the man answered. Looking directly at me, he said, "We will not cut down any trees on the other side of the stream."
Construction is still going on. Drab, shapeless houses are going up one after another. They are so ugly it makes one wonder: Were these houses actually designed by a person with a degree in that beautiful art called architecture? When I see houses like these going up I always feel sorry for the carpenters, who do the work but have no control over the design. How sad it must be to expend all that skill and labor to achieve such a tawdry result!
And then ― not surprisingly ― the promise made by the company representative at the meeting in the meadow turned out to be a lie. All the trees cut down the other day were on the far side of the stream. I talked to the man in charge of the work and told him, "You know, the company promised not to cut down any of these trees."
"Some of the trees were touching the houses," was his reply. In fact, they weren't, but even if they had been, that would only mean that the houses were built so as to touch the trees. The trees, after all, were there first.
But this, I suppose, is the way developers think: "A row of trees? They're not part of our plan. Cut them down."
Here is something to think about: When the developers finally get the whole world developed, what will "the world" be?
Shukan ST: March 6, 1998
(C) All rights reserved
- were awakened by 〜
- 〜 によって起こされた
- symphony of ugly sounds
- 混じり合ったさまざまな不快な音
- screech
- キーキーという音
- chain saw
- 電動のこぎり
- crack-crash
- バリバリッ、ドシーンという音
- whine
- 金属音
- winch pulling logs
- (ひもでくくった)丸太を持ち上げる巻き上げ機
- a fine row of 〜
- 一列に並んだ見事な 〜
- bleeding stumps
- 痛ましい切り株
- at the edge of 〜
- 〜 のはずれ
- Tama Reservoir
- 多摩湖(村山貯水池)
- western slope of the valley
- 谷の西側の斜面
- is built up with houses
- 造成されて家が立ち並んでいる
- grassy meadow
- 草地
- little stream
- 小川
- scene of 〜
- 〜 の舞台
- self-governing organization
- 自治組織
- notice
- 通知
- construction company
- 建設会社
- permit
- 許可
- Tokorozawa ordinance
- 所沢市の条例
- 〜 preventing further destruction of nature
- これ以上の自然破壊を防ぐための 〜
- representative
- 代表者
- Drab, shapeless
- つまらない、ぶかっこうな
- are going up one after another
- 次々と建っている
- They are so 〜 it makes one wonder: 〜
- あまりに 〜 なので、 〜 と不思議に思ってしまう
- degree
- 学位
- beautiful art called architecture
- 建築という美しい芸術
- carpenters
- 大工
- How sad it must be to 〜
- 〜 することはなんと悲しいことなのか
- expend
- 費やす
- skill
- 技能
- labor
- 労力
- achieve such a tawdry result
- こんな安っぽいものを完成させる
- turned out to be a lie
- 嘘だったことがわかった
- on the far side of 〜
- 〜 の向こう側
- man in charge of 〜
- 〜 の責任者
- were built so as to touch the trees
- 木々に接触するような 〜 で建てられた
- after all
- なんといっても
- developers
- 宅地開発業者。