It's just a thought

 On Joyce Kilmer's "The Trees" A vintage poem, familiar to many I suspect because it was a big hit for decades and a poem which has remained popular over the years. It's not one that's held in high regard by serious poetry fans, though. I'm not sure why I thought about that poem all of a sudden. Perhaps it was because of the last line, "But only God can make a tree." And maybe because I've been living in Alabama for almost 50 years. That is, in the heart of the Bible Belt, in a state that's a stronghold of evangelical Christianity.  My thinking about Kilmer's poem includes wondering this: How many evangelical folks have cut down a tree, perhaps because it had become an inconvenience ... without consulting God or asking permission to kill a tree that was a part of His or Her creation? (Or ... without asking forgiveness after the fact either?)  I can imagine a brief conversation: "Sir (or Ma'am) -- have you done that? Did it occur ...

Many of you are probably aware that Huntsville is designated a “Tree City USA.” We’ve been one for 28 years. I appreciate that, because I really value trees. They provide so many benefits and are a huge contributor to our quality of life. The National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City designation is based on four standards: having a Tree Commission, having tree-related ordinances in the municipal code, holding an annual Arbor Day observance, all of which we do, and are good. The fourth standard is to fund urban forestry work at a level of $2 per capita per year. With our population now almost 200,000, that would mean $400,000 a year. I don’t know what the actual spending is, but my gut feeling, plus comments I’ve gotten from city officials, is that current funding is not adequate to do all that they would like to do and that many of us would like to see being done.  That’s one of the main reasons I decided to undertake a petition effort, to try to get urban tree conservation in Hunt...

  I’d like to start by saying that I was one of many who participated on Nov. 7th in the Mayor’s Tree Planting Day at John Hunt Park. It was the second year for me, so I’ll say again (as I did a year ago) that it was very well organized, had a lot of enthusiastic participants and effectively demonstrated that trees are a really important part of Huntsville’s urban environment. They’re a critical factor in maintaining a high quality of life in the city. So, thanks much to Operation Green Team for again putting on this event and to the folks who came out and participated in it. I understand that 300 trees were planted this time around. I need to add a big “ however ” comment though. Planting young trees in John Hunt Park is definitely good for our environment and for the city’s overall tree population. But it doesn’t help with a problem in some of the city’s residential neighborhoods. Based on my observations and monitoring for over a year now, I’m convinced we’re seeing gradual tree...

  Don’t Forget the “Other Forest” by Jerry Berg - Land Trust member and Huntsville resident working to implement an urban forest conservation effort.   “Tree hugger?” I don’t mind being called that and I’d bet many Land Trust members don’t either. Some definitions I’ve seen include “advocate for the preservation of woodlands,” and “environmentalist, especially one concerned with preserving forests.” Well, sure -- we’re all concerned about threats to wilderness lands and forest areas, aren’t we? In other words, trees in the wild. But what about that other population of trees, the urban forest? It’s only recently that my focus and concern have expanded to include urban forests, specifically the tree population inside our city limits.    This concern came about initially from casual observation of trees being cut down in my neighborhood and not being replaced. Then I began to pay closer attention and ask questions. As I’ve dug further into the subject and learned more...

  For the Sake of Trees, Let’s Talk About Football Published as op-ed article in Huntsville Times, 4-19-20 This is about football … and trees. I say that because I’d like to get a lot of people’s attention, and I’ll explain the connection shortly. But first I need to touch on the subject of trees. As many Huntsville residents know, we live in a “Tree City USA.” Such a designation is made annually by the National Arbor Day Foundation and Huntsville has received it 29 times. This is gratifying to those of us who love and value trees, who realize that trees are a huge contributor to a high quality of urban life. What’s not so well known is that the Tree City USA designation is based on meeting four standards: (1) having a municipal Tree Commission; (2) having a tree-related ordinance in the municipal code; (3) holding an annual Arbor Day observance; and (4) funding urban forestry work at a level of $2 per capita per year, which in the case of Huntsville means spending at least $400,00...

                                     I Like it Here Huntsville's Five Points neighborhood is where I've lived for almost 50 years. So yes, I definitely like it here. I can’t remember why I first felt the attraction and came under the “spell” of Five Points. I’m sure though that the neighborhood’s shady, tree-lined streets were one of the big reasons. That is why it concerns me when I see something I’ve been noticing more and more lately. Five Points is losing trees, slowly but surely. This is inevitable, of course, given that trees are living entities with finite lifespans. Then too, their lives can be shortened by disease, storms, and the like. We also lose trees because some homeowners (sometimes the city as well) decide they’re too much trouble, or in the way of a project, pose a threat of property damage, or possibly even endanger personal safety.  Some tree loss of cou...