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February 21, 2005 Mr. Richard Haag Richard Haag and Associates Landscape Architects 2419 Everett Avenue East Seattle, Washington 98102 Judge Michael Hogan U.S. District Court 211 East 7th Avenue, Room 100 Eugene, Oregon 97401 Dear Mr. Haag and Judge Hogan: Many Eugeneans are watching with interest and expectation as the new United States Courthouse rises from our downtown riverfront. We are looking forward to having a remarkable and striking building to enjoy, one that will anchor future development east of downtown. Our urban landscape needs the energy, innovation and vision a project like the courthouse embodies. The Eugene Tree Foundation (ETF) is an organization of people especially concerned with the urban landscape —not only its trees, but also its history, character and the quality of its vegetation and open spaces. In reviewing the courthouse landscape design, we feel moved to share a few thoughts. We are first very pleased to see the many large -canopy trees specified in the plan, particularly those on the west side of the building. The arrangement of smooth- barked, spreading beeches against erect evergreen conifers will be striking, indeed. We also appreciate the use of our region's native plants, such as incense -cedar and quaking aspen. ETF believes that our native vegetation is a wise choice not only for horticultural and ecological reasons, but because Eugene's landscape ought to be identifiable as unique- ly Eugene, and therefore include our local plants wherever possible. We are concerned, however, about the large number of trees of a single species the plan relies upon. While we applaud the use of incense- cedar, for example, the inclusion of other tall- growing conifers would better ensure the long -term success of the design. Incense - cedars around Eugene have been suffering from noticeable foliar infections. It is easy to see discolored and disfigured individuals in all sorts of landscapes around town, including the well- tended campus of the University of Oregon. Heavy use of this species without the addition of other trees that provide similar esthetic effects —such as Douglas -fir or valley ponderosa pine —may result in a giant petri dish of unattractive and destructive fungi and bacteria. Under the above - mentioned trees the proposed use of only salal, the handsome native broadleaf evergreen shrub, leaves us doubtful of the planting's success. The first few years will be tough on the salal as the newly placed trees, though large by typical installation standards, will be unable to adequately shelter this shade - loving plant from the upper Willamette Valley's drying summer winds and the building's reflected heat. We appreciate the elegant simplicity of the design and do not insist that landscapes must adhere to some artificial minimum number of species, but why not include plants that serve the design while offering a little variety and better suitability to site condi- tions? Examples might be evergreen Oregon- grape, or deciduous snowberry and red - flowering currant. Once the trees are larger, a salal- dominated understory would be more feasible. EUGENE TREE FOUNDATION P.O. Box 12265 Eugene, Oregon 97440 Voice Mail: (541) 284-9854 www.eugenetnwfioundation.org ETF Board of Directors (and committee chairs) Phillip Carroll (advocacy) President Erik Burke Jim Gent Jeff Lanza (Planting) Lisa Theottald (secretary) Alby Thoumsin (education) Mission Statement: Working to protect and enhance the long -term health of Eugene's urban forest.