The Union-Recorder
MILLEDGEVILLE —
Our community is gaining a regrettable reputation as the city that cuts trees. The loss of 190 large shade trees on Milledgeville Housing Authority properties has been followed by the cutting of trees on Wayne Street, North Jefferson Street and at Central State.
The two remaining trees on the downtown corner of Wayne Street now seem gravely imperiled by the Streetscape construction. Those corner trees are vital to the continued appeal of Milledgeville as a downtown shopping and dining destination.
Now I am hearing of the city cutting a tree on a resident’s private front yard without any warning — just showed up and cut it down! What sort of town allows this to happen?
The loss of our trees will have a negative impact on the financial and economic future of our town, and this issue should concern even those who care nothing for trees. What retiree, business person, or arts community member will be attracted to a town devoid of beauty, shade and nature?
Look in publications designed to attract tourists and businesses and see that ads and articles placed by cities such as Madison and Savannah mention their “beautiful tree-lined streets” (complete with pictures prominently featuring their large trees) before any other attraction.
Recent local temperature checks on hot pavement found the temperature 40 degrees hotter than temperatures in shady spots. That kind of heat can make the difference in where people shop and dine, for sure!
Our town is losing its attraction every day as we lose the beautiful trees. One would think that even those who care nothing about the environmental and aesthetic benefits of trees would at least be concerned about our future economic viability.
We are trying to compete with all the surrounding towns that now have tree ordinances, enabling them to grow and retain the kind of beautiful trees we are senselessly cutting here.
Alice Tenold
Milledgeville
