The end of summer has been a big month for trees in Seattle. First, there was the Ingraham High School Debacle (if you missed it, read the Seattle Times story here). Then three trees on the Burke Gilman were murdered (see my colleague Shawna Gamache’s blog SeattleScape here). Now, Mayor Greg Nickels has announced interim

Trees at Ingraham

Trees at Ingraham

regulations to better protect our green leafy friends.

Now, for background, trees are one of the city’s priorities this year and both DPD and the Seattle City Council have been looking at ways to increase urban tree cover. But it seems like these two issues - Ingraham and the Burke Gilman - were the last straw to break the camel’s back. (Or just a shrewd move on the mayor’s part, either way.)

Chambers Bay carnage

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The new regulations, which would need to be approved by the city council to take affect and would only last until the official string of regulations are proposed, deal with an “exceptional tree.” Before, an exceptional tree was one with unique historic, ecological or aesthetic value, and was an important community resource. If the council passes this interim regulation, an exceptional tree will be one with substantial tree canopy, as well as groves of trees. The regulations will then prohibit the removal of all exceptional trees unless the removal is associated with a corresponding development permit.

For other trees, the regulations will prohibit the removal of more than three non-exceptional trees, 12 inches or greater in diameter in one year when not associated with a permit.

It will also increase penalties for willful or malicious violations of tree protections. Think this doesn’t happen often? See the gruesome cut in the tree above? That happened last spring at Chambers Bay (to read more click here).

Will make people think twice or will they keep employing gardeners who “accidentally” remove the trees in the backyard that were coincidentally imparing a view?

Seattle Public Schools has decided to cut down 92 trees at Ingraham High School in North Seattle. I don’t know much about the politics of the decision. But I do know about the trees and what it meant to grow up near them.

When I was little, I spent eight years on the Madison Mad Dogs (are the best!) swim team directly next to the trees in question. Being an environment reporter, I know the trees are a valuable resource. But looking back in my memories, I remember a sense of horror whenever I got too close to them. The few times I did venture into them (via dares from other children) I found things that no six-year-old should ever find - used condoms, drug paraphernalia, beer bottles etc. After that I took care to stay away from them with super hero-like force.

Even when I got older and worked at the pool, I took care to park far away from the trees when I closed up at 11 p.m. Maybe I was being paranoid, or maybe I was being safe. At the same time, the trees have always been a part of the school, and I don’t remember anything really sinister coming from their existence. In fact all the sinister things seemed to happen in buildings.

It seems a good example of when environmentalism comes face to face with other issues …. like security.  Which one do you think should win out?

For more, visit the PI’s blog here, the Stranger here or Majority Rules here (photo above courtesy of Majority Rules).

Of all the things to vandalize in Washington - why choose the lone Douglas fir at Chambers Bay golf course?

The course was otherwise having a good year. In February, the U.S. Golf Association said Chambers Bay would host the 2015 U.S. Open championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2010.  

Throughout 2007, it won awards from Golf Inc., Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine,  Golf Magazine and Golf Week (according to the Chambers Bay Web site).

Its attention to environmental protection had been even been recognized by Audubon International (more on that here). 

Then on April 29, disaster stuck when the symbol of the golf course - an iconic Douglas fir - was attacked overnight. Somebody tried to cut it down with an axe. (more…)