The issue is with the ongoing deforestation of the cottonwoods (the State Tree) taking place in our Cheyenne parks and cemeteries.
The City of Cheyenne has authorized local tree contractors to remove large cottonwood trees in our parks and cemeteries. The number of trees lost already is unimaginable.
Take a drive or walk through any of these public places and witness for yourself. It’s deplorable.
To make matters worse, the city forester, Mark Ellison, confirmed that there are many more slated for removal soon.
Mr. Ellison told me it’s because they pose a hazard to the public. Really Mark? I contend these trees, if left alone, will easily outlive all of us.
I live by both Holliday Park and Lakeview Cemetery, and walk by them, through them, and under these trees everyday, and they have posed absolutely no threat or harm to me or anyone.
These trees and their majesty add beauty and shade to our public areas. Not to mention what they provide to wildlife.
I suggested to our forester a “pruning to preserve” strategy rather than all out removal, to which he responded it is just too costly. Again, really Mark? I do not buy that story for one minute.
You see, the city forester that preceded Mr. Ellison, Lisa Olson, took aim at our property across from Holliday Park some 8 years ago, saying one of our majestic 75 year-old silver maples on the right of way strip was diseased and would need to be removed as it posed a hazard to the public.
Of course I resisted, but she bribed me by saying the city would plant a replacement tree if we obliged her request.
I hired a very experienced “city approved” tree contractor to remove the tree, who after cutting it down, said that it brought tears to his eyes because the tree was in fact healthy.
That tree removal cost us $2,500 eight years ago. And, by the way, the replacement tree did not survive one season.
The city has now removed most of the cottonwoods in the Lakeview Cemetery, which were numerous, at least 35 from Holliday Park with nine more slated for removal this year, and an untold number out of Lions Park, all of which were similar in size, if not bigger than our tree.
How much are these contractors charging these days? I told Mr. Ellison to do the math and tell me pruning by city staff would not be more economical.
He then said, “Well, if this was my property I would not be removing them."
Here is the sickening part of it all.
Mr. Ellison said it is indeed unfortunate that the city did not plan for the day when the cottonwoods would have to be removed.
He referred to it as a second canopy strategy that would have needed to be started decades ago. The city let us down folks. The sapling replacements they are planting, simply put, are not a suitable option.
Think about this folks, no shade trees in our parks and cemeteries this summer. It’s underway now. Worse yet, there will be no shade in these places for generations to come.
Buck McVeigh, Cheyenne
