My (polite, respectful) Letter to Mayor Fischer, regarding Louisville's Loss of Tree Canopy
Hello Mayor Fischer,
I commend you on your efforts to maintain and increase Louisville's diminishing tree canopy.
Over the past two weeks I've witnessed 3 old growth trees being cut down, two in my mother's neighborhood of Schnitzelburg and one on my own street, Sherry Rd, not far from U of L.
I need not inform you of their monetary, health, and aesthetic value, for you are well-informed on these issues, in great part thanks to the commissions you've tasked with surveying the value of our city's tree canopy over the past few years.
A tree that took more than 100 years to grow to its impressive, abounding size was destroyed in a single day- due to a bump in the sidewalk.
That's not O.K.
That's poor planning.
That's unacceptable.
As my husband put it, "Why couldn't they just have incorporated a ramp where the bump was?"
It's too late for this tree and honestly our entire street mourns its removal.
However I'm hopeful this letter somehow helps prevent similar rash destruction of our city's trees.
Lastly I'd like to formally request a seat on the Louisville Metro Tree Advisory Committee.
As a member of the local chapter of the Sierra Club (and several other well-respected environmental organizations) and a community member, living in the University of Louisville area (an area highly affected by the city's tree canopy loss) I should qualify for a seat. It would be an honor to serve my city, its people, trees and all of nature in this capacity.
Truly,
Jessica Pita
I commend you on your efforts to maintain and increase Louisville's diminishing tree canopy.
Over the past two weeks I've witnessed 3 old growth trees being cut down, two in my mother's neighborhood of Schnitzelburg and one on my own street, Sherry Rd, not far from U of L.
We need trees to live, literally.
Disturbing information from the tree company workers on my street:
"To be in compliance with the city's wheel-chair-access-on-sidewalks laws." was the reason this huge, beautiful tree on my street was cut down.
A tree that took more than 100 years to grow to its impressive, abounding size was destroyed in a single day- due to a bump in the sidewalk.
That's not O.K.
That's poor planning.
That's unacceptable.
As my husband put it, "Why couldn't they just have incorporated a ramp where the bump was?"
It's too late for this tree and honestly our entire street mourns its removal.
However I'm hopeful this letter somehow helps prevent similar rash destruction of our city's trees.
Lastly I'd like to formally request a seat on the Louisville Metro Tree Advisory Committee.
As a member of the local chapter of the Sierra Club (and several other well-respected environmental organizations) and a community member, living in the University of Louisville area (an area highly affected by the city's tree canopy loss) I should qualify for a seat. It would be an honor to serve my city, its people, trees and all of nature in this capacity.
Truly,
Jessica Pita
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| The stump of the gorgeous tree that was chopped down on my street. I wish I had a 'before' picture. |
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