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Cut fewer park trees <br /> The city of Eugene has identified 100 out <br /> of 233 trees in Hendricks Park as "hazard- <br /> ous." Last year 12 trees over 100 years old <br /> were cut down. When these trees were ex- <br /> amined by professional foresters and the <br /> company that removed them they observed <br /> that these trees were not deceased nor in <br /> danger of falling. Actually, opening the for- <br /> est canopy by removing trees can increase <br /> the probability of having another tree fall. <br /> The same flawed analysis that fell these <br /> 12 is now being applied to an additional 18 <br /> trees. Citizen input and professional forest- <br /> ers evaluated the 18 trees in question and <br /> recommended the number be reduced to <br /> four. The recommendation included moni- <br /> toring the other 14 trees annually. This <br /> input has been ignored by the Public <br /> Works Department. Evidently those very <br /> decision makers are now embarrassed by <br /> their past decision and do not want to ap- <br /> pear as though they again are on the edge <br /> of making the same type of error. <br /> Cutting down 30 trees in two years is <br /> way too aggressive. Both the Audubon Soci- <br /> ety and the Sierra Club have sent to the <br /> city letters supporting strong positions <br /> against this environmental and habitat de- <br /> struction. It certainly is odd that a city that <br /> has not added any park land in 20 years is <br /> now bent on the destruction of one of its <br /> finest.; <br /> WAYNE L. HARRISON <br /> Eugene / v —I f— 9 7 <br />