Concord's Tree Deforestation - Time for a Moratorium!
Monday, June 9th, 2014, the Concord City Council accepted the May 2014 Report from General Services in response to my April 2013 letter regarding Urban Tree Removal (Attachment - 2012 Report from General Services).
This was consent item #23 which was pulled from the Agenda by Councillor Jan McClure and discussed late in the meeting. I was unable to attend. At yourconcordtv the video of the meeting is scheduled to be posted by Tuesday evening (6/10/2014). My understanding is the Council agreed to address the deforestation. [Update - The Council voted to put together a Committee to work on the project over the next couple of months and to report back in July or August.]
What I saw Today (June 10th, 2014) indicates the time to act is NOW! I am asking for a Moratorium on any further tree removal by the City or the Utilities. [We can not afford to wait!]
After dropping my child at school Today, I witnessed killing of a mature shade tree. On Washington Street, west of Rumford (across from the law school) this tree (photos below) was taken down. The reason given at the scene for this removal - the tree posed a risk as it
was leaning and that the narrow strip dirt between the sidewalk and
street would not allow the tree sufficient water to grow. This tree appeared healthy and had survived the infestation of city road work for years!
The risks associated with trees needs to be balanced with the value they provide for shade to our city. A healthy mature shade tree has been tragically lost. If we continue to allow the City of Concord General Services and the Utilities to deforest the city, it will become even less liveable than it is already. Without a reasonable reforestation walking in the summer will continue to become unpleasant in the heat of the sun. Without shade trees we will be forced into our cars where the natural effect of cooling provided by shade is replaced by the unnatural and energy intensive cooling of air conditioning.
I am calling for a Moratorium on any further tree trimming or cutting until there is a reasonable policy for trimming and replanting that recognizes the value trees provide.
Here is the tree prior the loss of life, animal habitat and shade - from Google StreetView:
If you value your shade trees then let's tie ribbons around them with notes about how we value them. Let's assemble memorials to all the lost shade trees and insist that the City and Uitlities stop the deforestation. Let's save our trees and celebrate what they provide - shade, habitat, liveability!
Let us reforest the city with plantings or replacement trees. Let's plant three trees for every one lost. We can make a difference but we need to act.
The Remains of the Day
