A project established for the public to report issues with trees in their local council has taken a curious turn, after every tree in the city was given its own email address. The Urban Forest Strategy in Melbourne began in 2013, with the intention restore the city's connection with its natural side.

2013年，墨尔本市发起了“城市森林战略”，旨在让城市更具自然气息。通过该项目，公众可以反映其所在市政区的树木问题。自从城中所有树木都有了专属邮箱地址后，事情就发生了奇妙的转变。

Thousands of trees were given ID numbers and email addresses so locals could report any problems, but soon love letters to the trees began to pour in from around the world. From Melbournians thanking the trees for providing air, to a child asking what it feels like when leaves fall off, the trees have received over 3000 emails. Coming from as far as Russia, Germany, the US, the UK, Hungary, Moldova, Singapore, Brazil, Denmark and Hong Kong, the letters often ask questions of the trees.

几千棵树均有自己的标识号和电子邮箱地址，当地人可以反映任何问题。然而不久之后，写给树的情书铺天盖地，从全世界各个角落寄了过来。从墨尔本人感谢树木所提供的清新空气，到儿童问当树叶飘落时树是什么感觉，这些树收到了3000多封电子邮件。它们来自遥远的俄罗斯、德国、美国、英国、匈牙利、摩尔多瓦、新加坡、巴西、丹麦和香港等地，邮件里经常出现对树的问寻。

'How old are you?' is one commonly asked , while other writers request photos of the trees they are conversing¹ with. The most emailed tree is a Golden Elm on busy Punt Road, who was described by one person as The Magic Faraway Tree, from Enid Blyton's childhood classic.

最常见的问题是：“今年多大啦？”一些人会向自己正在交流的树木索要树照。位于繁忙的普特路的金叶榆收到的邮件最多，有人将它描述为安迪•布莱顿儿童经典作品中的“远方的魔法树”。

'You are my favorite tree in all of Melbourne! Even if you do need a little bit of help under that great leafy canopy²', wrote one nature enthusiast³.

一位自然爱好者写道：“你的树冠太浓密了，确实需要那么一丢丢帮助，不过，你还是墨尔本城中我最爱的树！”

'Do you remember when I used to drive by you?' asked L in their letter.

L在信中问：“还记得我过去常常开车从你身旁驶过吗？”

'You are my favorite tree, even though you make me stoop over during my morning run when you grow too big', emailed another to the Golden Elm.

还有一封给金叶榆的信写道：“每天晨跑时，我不得不从你庞大的身躯下弯腰而过，尽管如此，你却是我最爱的树。”

Sometimes if people are so lucky, the trees respond to questions asked in emails. 'So lovely to be appreciated. I am lucky to be well looked after', the Golden Elm wrote in response to one letter.

如果你足够幸运，这些树还会给你回信答疑呢。金叶榆回信道：“被欣赏的感觉如此妙不可言。我很幸运能被照顾得无微不至。”

Chair of the City of Melbourne's Environment Portfolio⁴ Cr Arron Wood said the initiative was launched in an effort to save hundreds of trees lost to droughts. 'Melbourne has long been regarded as Australia's 'garden city', but 13 years of drought in tandem⁵ with severe water restrictions⁶ left the City's urban forest in a state of unprecedented⁷ decline,' he said. 'By 2009, 40 per cent of our significant trees were declining or dying.'

墨尔本环境投资主席亚纶·伍德议员表示，此计划旨在拯救成百棵因干旱而消失的树木。“墨尔本一直被视为澳大利亚的‘花园城市’，但是长达13年的干旱加上水资源严重匮乏，导致墨尔本城市森林处于空前的下滑状态。截止到2009年，40%的贵重树木已衰退或死亡。”