Save Our Pines to Editor
Park Service should honor pines agreement
Dear Editor,
Ninety plus trees have been tagged along the beach line at Fort Taylor destined for removal. This area is where many people spend their time at the beach since it is protected from the sun yet close enough to the water to supervise children.
More than six months ago, the Park Service expressed the desire to create a coastal berm here. We were told that an erosion study would be made to evaluate the condition of the beach. Consequently, we certainly expected to be privy to this study prior to any specific action so that our experts could review the erosion plan and suggest options to insure that mature pines are not threatened.
On April 26 at the State sponsored workshop for Fort Taylor, we specifically asked for a status on the erosion study and were told by officials that it had not been completed. So, it was more than shocking to see these rapid steps taken toward a massive tree removal just five days later. Why were we not informed of the Park's intention to remove the trees then? After all, the purpose of the April 26th meeting was to discuss the future park management plan.
As a solution for the erosion, we had envisioned shoring up the small cliff with a Caribbean/tropical style wall and simple nautical rope fence, with steps down to the beach, that would be filled on the tree side once it is built. In a park that is basically all one level, the cliff has always been considered charming, a nice contrast to the already graded part of the beach which is further east of this area.
Our desire is for the existing pines on fill to remain and be allowed to replenish in a "controlled" manner. If these trees are removed it will reduce the size of the all important shaded area next to the beach (there have been no trees on the beach itself for years and therefore pose no problems for turtle nesting). The shade is the reason many of us go to this beach rather than Smathers or Higgs Beaches. When you go to the park now, it is painfully apparent that protection from the damaging rays of the sun has already diminished considerably.
These pines are known to help control erosion and historically have always been a navigational tool. A past park proposal showed plans for seven shelters, one 20' x 30' x 36' shelter was in this area. We do not know if this will be proposed in the new plan as a shade replacement.
In 2004, The Park Service made a commitment to leave the mature Australian pines in a zone within the picnic area, unless they posed a safety hazard or were damaged by storms. We call on the Park Service to continue to honor their commitment and call off the removal of these trees, at least until we can sit together and examine options that better suit the needs of Key Westers.
Helen Harrison
Save Our Pines
Published Key West Citizen 5/21/06
Dear Editor,
Ninety plus trees have been tagged along the beach line at Fort Taylor destined for removal. This area is where many people spend their time at the beach since it is protected from the sun yet close enough to the water to supervise children.
More than six months ago, the Park Service expressed the desire to create a coastal berm here. We were told that an erosion study would be made to evaluate the condition of the beach. Consequently, we certainly expected to be privy to this study prior to any specific action so that our experts could review the erosion plan and suggest options to insure that mature pines are not threatened.
On April 26 at the State sponsored workshop for Fort Taylor, we specifically asked for a status on the erosion study and were told by officials that it had not been completed. So, it was more than shocking to see these rapid steps taken toward a massive tree removal just five days later. Why were we not informed of the Park's intention to remove the trees then? After all, the purpose of the April 26th meeting was to discuss the future park management plan.
As a solution for the erosion, we had envisioned shoring up the small cliff with a Caribbean/tropical style wall and simple nautical rope fence, with steps down to the beach, that would be filled on the tree side once it is built. In a park that is basically all one level, the cliff has always been considered charming, a nice contrast to the already graded part of the beach which is further east of this area.
Our desire is for the existing pines on fill to remain and be allowed to replenish in a "controlled" manner. If these trees are removed it will reduce the size of the all important shaded area next to the beach (there have been no trees on the beach itself for years and therefore pose no problems for turtle nesting). The shade is the reason many of us go to this beach rather than Smathers or Higgs Beaches. When you go to the park now, it is painfully apparent that protection from the damaging rays of the sun has already diminished considerably.
These pines are known to help control erosion and historically have always been a navigational tool. A past park proposal showed plans for seven shelters, one 20' x 30' x 36' shelter was in this area. We do not know if this will be proposed in the new plan as a shade replacement.
In 2004, The Park Service made a commitment to leave the mature Australian pines in a zone within the picnic area, unless they posed a safety hazard or were damaged by storms. We call on the Park Service to continue to honor their commitment and call off the removal of these trees, at least until we can sit together and examine options that better suit the needs of Key Westers.
Helen Harrison
Save Our Pines
Published Key West Citizen 5/21/06
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home