PLEASE can we have some teaching, or perhaps even some legislation, for property developers and councils, to encourage them to think about and plan or budget for someone to REMOVE the stakes, as well as correct training to strap them in?
Alternatively, and perhaps even better, I would like to see
BIO-DEGRADABLE STRAPS, which would deteriorate after one or two years.
Join my campaign and sign up to my yahoo group:
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/youngtrees/

A small tree is planted by the council, protected by two thick wooden stakes of similar height. One evening, a drunk falls over onto it or a vandal breaks the tree. It is then thrown away by the council, a different tree is cut down to provide four new stakes for the next growing tree. I call these trees 'stick trees'.

See I'm a vandal. Whenever I see them strangling the tree I cut them.

Bio-degradable straps would be fantastic though.

Now THAT is the responsibility of the landscaper. He/She should have know that sapling was going to out grow the strap.