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ISTRESS IS OBVIOUS in many of the
<br /> K' 11Z 1? N 1\ C C 0wA N 18 targeted trees. One lists southward,
<br /> threatening the very shelter where the
<br /> /61—/q-97 concerned citizens gathered this summer.
<br /> Others have unnervingly lopsided crowns, or
<br /> C i* ♦ i grou enY fi stretch skyward 90 feet before their first limbs
<br /> ,� appear. Most are covered with a fungus known
<br /> as conk disease; the city's urban forester, Scott
<br /> axes .tree plan Plamondon, says samples from trunks of those trees es indicate dangerous weakening.
<br /> Y But a citizen committee appointed at the
<br /> July meeting disagrees.
<br /> I F A TREE FALLS in an urban forest and "Conk does not really compromise the
<br /> nearly hits two nearby houses, should 18 structure of the tree," said John Prior, a
<br /> more trees be cut down because of liability committee member and professional forester.
<br /> worries? "Trees that have fallen in the park in recent
<br /> A Hendricks Park citizen committee won't years have not snapped or twisted off; they've
<br /> hear of it, saying only three trees pose a been uprooted by the wind."
<br /> serious enough threat to face the ax. Indeed, that was the case with the 120 -foot
<br /> Actually, 100 towering Douglas Firs were fir that fell in a storm last New Year's Eve,
<br /> identified as potentially hazardous in a the narrowly missing ing two
<br /> tru homes fact, that back
<br /> appeared
<br /> city-hired arborist's study — though city
<br /> officials say they never suggested that all those healthy. It apparently failed because of
<br /> trees be targeted for removal. saturated soils on the park's eastern slope.
<br /> But, given the city's infamous attempted Saturation created, in part, by the city. As
<br /> stealth cutting of 40 trees at a downtown the park's noted rhododendron garden has
<br /> redevelopment site June 1, "the tension level is expanded across Summit Drive and onto its
<br /> high and the trust level low" between citizens eastern flank, the city has been "watering it to
<br /> and city staff over the Hendricks Park trees, beat hell," Prior said.
<br /> says Christine Andersen, director of public "The city puts the equivalent of 25 extra
<br /> works. inches of precipitation" on the rhododendrons
<br /> A July meeting to discuss tree removal drew during the dry summer months — a time when
<br /> about 35 people. Many the fir roots normally would dry out, said
<br /> feared that the city's committee member Jon Raney, a lawyer.
<br /> plan to cut just 18 trees Andersen acknowledged that the irrigation
<br /> this fall was simply a has contributed to the soggy. soil. But any plans
<br /> ploy, that all 100 trees to halt the watering are likely to raise the
<br /> „. a' ' a would be cut eventually. hackles of another group of park devotees, she
<br /> ', And Jeff Osanka, said: fans of the rhododendron garden.
<br /> * ' . president of the Laurel Swanson Gribskov, whose council district
<br /> ,;.. Hill Homeowners takes in the park, says Andersen has assured
<br /> Association, contacted her that no cutting will take place until after a
<br /> y me to express concern final public meeting on the topic, tentatively
<br /> that the city may be scheduled for Oct. 28 at Edison School. She also
<br /> creating a self-fulfilling plans to meet with the citizen committee and
<br /> prophecy: He fears it city staff this Friday in hopes that something
<br /> may cut more trees than approaching a compromise can be reached. The
<br /> necessary, citing liability concerns raised by its city has trimmed its list of targeted trees to 12.
<br /> own labeling of trees as "potentially Committee member Ron Funke says his
<br /> hazardous." group would probably agree to cutting "three
<br /> City Council member Laurie Swanson to six" trees that would appear to threaten
<br /> Gribskov is trying to broker a compromise. But people's houses if they came down — which
<br /> opinions vary widely on what constitutes an seems a reasonable position.
<br /> appropriate risk. Going beyond that, Raney charged, could
<br /> Some oppose any tree cutting, citing a "live actually backfire on the staff, "creating a false
<br /> by a tree, die by a tree" philosophy that comes sense of security that could come back to haunt
<br /> with choosing to live by a forest. A few have the city legally."
<br /> even offered to sign away any right to sue the Taking out more trees could open up the
<br /> city over tree damage. forest canopy and disturb root systems, making
<br /> "But those agreements aren't worth much remaining trees more vulnerable to wind and
<br /> more than the paper they're written on," rain, Prior added.
<br /> Swanson Gribskov said. Even if no compromise is reached, both
<br /> The city can't simply sign its liability away, sides agree on one thing: It's time to involve
<br /> agreed Risk Management Director Myrnie Daut. community residents in developing a vegetation
<br /> "We try not to be driven by fear (of management plan for the park.
<br /> lawsuits), but we're aware that to the extent we "I can assure you the process will not be
<br /> believe trees are unsafe, yet leave them, we meaningless," Raney said.
<br /> face liability," she said.
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