Tree cutting in Peoria continues

PEORIA -- On Tuesday, Feb. 23, without any warning to neighbors, Illinois American Water Co. sent in a crew to quickly cut down seven beautiful, mature trees on its property at the intersection of Crestwood and Grand. 

It was over in a flash -- and the flowering trees that brightened this intersection every spring were down. Peoria has no ordinances to protect its trees from developers and others who wantonly destroy them. 

Other cities protect their trees which provide habitat for birds and wildlife, provide shade,  save energy, and supply both oxygen and beauty.  Numerous studies have shown that neighborhoods with trees are more valuable and the residents happier and healthier.  Nevertheless, the tree cutting continues in Peoria.

Outraged, I complained to the Peoria mayor's office and the water company.  Here is the reply from the water company, then my response:


[email protected] wrote:

Elaine:

We were notified of your concern with the recent tree removal on Illinois
American Water Peoria District’s Grand Boulevard #2 booster station and
water tank site.  We take the feedback from our customers very seriously.
I wanted to reach out to you and explain why these trees were removed.

A total of seven trees were removed from this site.  Six of the trees
removed were tall locust trees that have suffered a lot of storm damage
over the last few years.  These trees were tall and brittle enough that the
possibility of them hitting the nearby power lines was a concern.  These
power lines not only power the residential homes in the area, but also our
booster station.

In addition to the locust trees, a large cottonwood within close proximity
to a building at the location was removed due to possible falling limbs.
Also, cottonwoods can produce a lot of the seeds in the spring. If these
seeds are pulled into the ventilation systems or motors on the site, our
operations and equipment could be significantly impacted.

I hope this information helps you to understand the reason behind the tree
removal.  I personally met with the tree service contractor at the site to
evaluate each tree.  The trees that we were able to keep were pruned to
improve their condition.

We plan to plant several smaller trees later this year that mature at a
shorter height and won’t put our facilities or the power lines at risk.  We
have worked hard to improve the appearance of this facility over the last
few years and will continue to do so.  Please feel free to contact me at
the number below if you have additional concerns or questions.

Thank you,

Doug.
Operations Superintendent
Peoria District"

309.566.4164

Here's my response to DougTennis (whom I have never met nor spoken with), and Mayor Ardis to whom he sent a copy, and someone named KCollier:

"Those were beautiful, flowering trees, and cannot easily be replaced.  At least not in my lifetime.

Excuses can always be found to cut trees. Any tree on Crestwood or Maple Ridge might fall on a power line -- so should we cut down all of them?  Everywhere?

You guys have a big generator sitting there that could fill in during an emergency.

More likely somebody wanted the contract to do it. Kickbacks? Anything is possible in today's world of greed.

Or is it a few dollars cheaper not to mow around the trees, which sheltered birds and wildlife?

If the city of Peoria had a decent ordinance protecting its trees this likely would not have happened.

I'm very disappointed. But not surprised."

  -- Elaine Hopkins   

Comments

[No One In Particular]

You are a piece of work, Elaine. I doubt you've ever held a position of responsibility wherein you need to make decisions about business operations. Journalism doesn't count because you always had an editor looking over your shoulder. They made a decision based on safety. You accuse them of corruption. You should be ashamed.

[No One In Particular]

One other thing: In your post you said "on their property." How much do control do you think the City should have over what grows and doesn't grow on private property?

[Elaine Hopkins]

Ok, lets cut down all the trees in the city and see how that will
look. Power bills will go up, birds and other wildlife will be even
more imperiled, oxygen less abundant.
Just because a tree is on private property doesnt mean it lacks
implications for the entire city. Other cities protect trees because
they benefit everyone.
As for my being a responsible person, thats an interesting ad hominem
(personal) attack, and has nothing to do with the arguments and issues.

I could say you must be a selfish SOB but I wont.
As for me Ive worked from age 16, have an MA plus from a major
university, have been a college teacher, a kindergarten teacher, a
journalist, publisher of a literary magazine, and am a wife, mother of
two successful adults and grandmother of four, all of whom are good
students, never in trouble. What about you?
E.H.

[Anon]

follow the kick back angle you just might be on to something

[No One In Particular]

I find it rich that you accuse me of an ad hominem attack when you were the one accusing the Water Company of corruption. Hypocrite much?

You could not build a law that would prevent someone from cutting down a tree if they could prove that the tree endangered their property.

My point about your former positions was that I doubt you ever had a job where other people's jobs were on the line (none of the ones you mentioned, short of the publisher one, possibly). People like you, then, feel free to accuse others of evil when it may just have been good business sense. To them, the trees posed a danger to their business. The guy made a pretty compelling case in his unnecessary response to you. You are also likely the type of person who would complain if your water got shut off because some tree fell over.

[Elaine Hopkins]

Oh please. The tree endanger property? Then lets cut them all down,
right?
May someone open a pig farm next to your property, and well see how
long your libertarian views last!
Trees are as important to our community as fresh air. In fact they
contribute to it.
They benefit everyone, and this benefit overrides the its my property
Ill do what I want to argument.

[Chris Carrico]

Hi, Elaine.

I love trees, and hope to plant a few more in my yard this year. It's sad to see them come down when they're still alive.

I think you'd gain a lot more sympathy by not attacking Mr. Tennis. Even suggesting that someone engaged in illegal or immoral activity in a public forum is a serious thing. Do you have some evidence? If not, I think you should post an apology.

All the best,

Chris Carrico
Metamora, IL

[No One In Particular]

"I'll do what I want to argument." Not sure I understand that, but I take it to mean that ad hominem attacks are OK if coming from you, but not OK if directed at you. At least I know the rules.

You mistake me for a libertarian. Far from it, though not as left as you. My point is this -- trees are great and should be protected. But if one gets so big and so brittle as to pose a threat to my house by falling down, I'm chopping it down. And you will NEVER be able to craft a law that prevents me from doing so, at least not in America. Show me an ordinance from a different community that does so, and I'll find that section. Better yet, why don't you ask your city councilmember to introduce your idea of legislation?

[Elaine Hopkins]

Any time something weird happens that makes no sense, I look for other
explanations. I didnt say it happened, just that its one
explanation. There are others, of course, including stupid.
Cutting these trees makes no sense. The water co could have buried the
electric lines on its property, built a shed over the generator or
taken other action to protect the site from any falling limbs or
flowers from the trees. (Screen wire for example.) Why didnt it do
that? Who profited from this job? This is Illinois, isnt it!

[enjoy and understand nature]

Something else to consider about the locusts; those are non-native invasive trees. The degredation of the natural quality of the forested bluffs along the Illinois River has been enhanced due to these trees. Removing locusts whenever possible is beneficial to wildlife and surrounding plant life. You must remember that not all trees are equal. And while they do have pretty flowers in the spring, that just means they are going to produce seeds which will spread more havoc on our landscape. The open area created by removing these trees also provides significant wildlife benefits, likely more than the locusts, so nothing is lost from that standpoint.

[Elaine Hopkins]

Ah, the non-native excuse to cut trees.
Anything to cut them down, right? Makes you feel like a tough guy
controlling nature? Or some type of ecological farmer?
More enlightened cities protect all trees, not just so-called native
trees (native to what period in the history of the planet?).
In Charleston SC, no tree can be arbitrarily cut down without
undergoing all kinds of scrutiny from local officials. Theres no
native test. That city knows the value of the tree canopy.
I have 2 locust trees in my back yard. Woodpeckers and other birds love
them, and apparently find insects to eat there.

[No One In Particular]

Please, do not confuse Elaine with facts. She is an arborist.

[Elaine Hopkins]

An arborist? Guilty, I guess. No facts? Not guilty. The facts are on
my side.