Sugar gums have a reputation as risky branch-droppers but they're important to bees, parrots and possums

I had the good fortune to care for the sugar gum at The University of Melbourne's Burnley Gardens in Victoria where I worked for many decades. It was a fine tree—tall and dominating. Less than a year after my retirement, it shed a couple of major limbs and was removed. I had been its custodian for over 20 years and took my responsibility seriously, extending its useful life.