Arborist and protesters

treeseer · Sep 6, 2008

The university has said it would plant one mature tree and two saplings for each tree that is removed, but the plaintiffs argued that was not sufficient replacement

wonder how the U defines "mature"?

TimberMcPherson · Sep 6, 2008

As arborists we are the last line, the last opinion, and often the last chance for a tree before it gets the figurative axe. I happen to care about the trees I work with especially if they are great specimens.

I have killed lambs with my bare hands, have killed more young cute calves with a hammer than I care to remember, I have little trouble doing things if I have to, thats easy. Whats hard is standing up for something that will cost you a job and a client.

For me being a pro arborist means more than carrying out tasks well and getting paid. If I cut down a tree my work is forgotten in days, but those good specimens I fight to leave standing will be a part of peoples lives for generations. I go by trees I have saved every day.

All the time tree space in every environment is taken for buildings, decks, stadiums views etc, its never given back yet its infinately valuable to the health and well being of all of us. Especially those who make there living working with, not against trees.

M.D. Vaden · Sep 6, 2008

Even though it may or may not be commendable for tree sitters to express thier views, as they loose much or all of their time, money and effort on this one, the defeat is probably as effective as biting them back, and probably hurts worse.

The tree hugger types rarely stand up for what I call canopy management.

In some areas, too much foliage and tree cover is undesirable. Quite a few homes and businesses really need a certain amount of foliage, where they remove some trees, and add some trees, decade after decade to maintain a planned amount of foliage.

But I have yet to find a tree hugger who will offer a plan, or do a sit, to promote practical alternatives like that.

The day that more tree hugger types start showing an interest in the big picture of tree preservation, will be a day when they get even more respect than they have now.

tree MDS · Sep 6, 2008

I like trees, I just dont like hippies so much. I've got a friend thats hippylike I guess you would call him, long hair and lives in Vermont-anyway I had him come down to help me one time, so we're chipping brush and I'm smelling this body odor fiercely, well I thought it was the other dirtbag groundman so I pulled my friend over (with chipper sceaming) and said "do you smell the FN body odor on that guy"? Well just as I was finishing saying that (well about half way through, but too late) I was stricken by the worst B.O. I think I've ever smelled. Oops. Latter on he drops into the conversation that he "forgot his deodorant", lol. Another time my ex cooked us a steak and shrimp dinner after working and he hardly ate, he "doesnt eat much red meat", lol. Another time he and his groundman came down and (complete with dreads) stayed in our partially finished basement overnight and my old lady said she had to wash everthing-and hit the sectional up with the Febreeze. I'm glad for the trees that it will soon all be over. I dont talk to that guy anymore incedently.

John Paul Sanborn · Sep 6, 2008

The management issue is big around here.

Since we do not have much of any "old growth" even in remnant populations, there is an attitude that anything green is good. If you try to thin out the invasive material, you are a bad man, destroying the environment.

God forbid they see you do stump paint with Roundup!

Thoughtful management is basic environmental science, but many of the hard corps greenie weenies will not accept it.

pdqdl · Sep 6, 2008

I really don't see how that protest lasted that long.

Fence it off, arrest anybody that crosses the line. Arrest every tree sitter that comes down for food or water. Keep 'em in jail without bail if they show up at the protest again.

Drop every tree with no one in it.

All the trees would be gone in 10 days. They could protest, but it would be over the stumps of the removed trees.

10 days of police stationed there for 24/7 would have to be a whole lot cheaper and more practical than a two year public spectacle.

or... let some willing branch of the military do some practical training in crowd control, and drag them out of the trees in one day.

or... hire somebody like me to cut the trees down around them. Branch at a time, there would be nothing left to hug. I could take a shower at the end of the day, and they would run out of "weapons". I'll bet I could lower branches with people still tied to them, and nobody would get hurt. Too much, anyway.