Pics of trees scheduled for cutting down at Barton Springs, Austin, TX

[alfreda89]

From my Austin Tech list:

For those of you have not gotten to the Springs to actually see the trees they are going to cut down, here are photos showing, in detail, where they are -- we'll lose 75% of the tree canopy at the pool if we don't insist City Council stop this plan.

Blog: earthfamilyalpha
Post: Tree Friendly Paradigm
Link: http://earthfamilyalpha.blogspot.com/2009/04/tree-friendly-paradigm.html

What I sent them:

I am distressed to hear that the city plans to eviscerate the tree canopy near the springs. We have had 80 temps in March -- that will only get worse, as, man-made or natural cycle, we're going into a hotter world than the last 100 years we've known. Those trees are critical to the comfort, and the beauty, of this spot we all love so dearly.

This would mean I can't go swimming until after dark, because I am extremely fair, plus due to illness I have trouble with anything over 70 degrees.

We have NUMEROUS Arborists in Austin who could give you an excellent review of what these trees need (pruning, mulching -- trees cannot go decades without a little TLC, if we want them picture perfect and at the peak of health).

We use Nickey Bishop at http://www.thetreetender.com/. His phone is 512-280-1958. He is not only a Certified Arborist, he has other Arborists working for him. Talk to the excellent, highly trained people Austin has to offer. Don't let a California firm (and whose great idea was that, because I won't be voting for you in the next election!) sentence our park to being but a skeleton of what it was meant to be.

Sincerely --

Comments

[paul-carlson.livejournal.com]

That's awful.

Such beautiful old trees, and no good reason to remove them.

[incandragon.livejournal.com]

What's the reason for their decision to remove the trees?

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Partly a few of them have something about them which makes them seen unwell and thus potential lawsuits in the making. (Pecans are known as "self-pruning".) Partly they have decided to spruce up the bathing areas and expand them. Partly just don't want any branches overhanging areas where people are.

Several local tree people think less than ten of them should be cut down or heavily pruned -- and as you can see, no mulch has been added for years. They should dump a bunch of Dillo Dirt down there and see how much happier those trees will be. Plus...they haven't mentioned it, but the drought is hurting some of those trees. I got mildly hysterical back in July and shot out tree instructions to the neighborhood. It may take a year or two, but I fully expect the Montezuma Cypress in the area to die. They just didn't get enough when they needed it.

[incandragon.livejournal.com]

That's so sad. Shade is vital to that area! And yes, it takes a tree years to die once it's been given a fatal shock. :-(

[incandragon.livejournal.com]

Nicky Bishop rocks the tree world! When my block got hit by a microtornado and everyone on the block lost trees, we didn't. The one that he said would probably split in a high wind (and in fact did split), he'd braced with bolts and cables, and is still doing great.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

And you were good tree parents!

Have you got big pines up there? What is in your yard?