Several bloggers commented on the fact that I had to purchase a permit to bring down those trees which were on property I owned. First, the ravine, while owned by me, is considered an environmental easement and I am not allowed to do anything there without asking. While I agree that it seems too much government in my life, I have seen properties where they cut down every single tree along the river so that they get a perfect open view and so that others can see their perfect open house and so that their lawn fertilizer and broad leaf herbicide can flow freely into the river! Yes, they get fined. BUT they are rich and the $10K seems a small price to pay for a full water view so they can show off and screw the environment. I wish the county would make them also plant trees as part of restoration. Other counties in this liberal state do that.
Why do we care if people cut down trees willy nilly? Well, our river goes back and forth on being clean and then polluted and then clean again. Run-off is a big deal and trees drink lots of that water and keep the rest of the run=off purer. They stop erosion and provide important shade and habitat for animals and clean the air. I could go on and on about living in balance with everything else.
Our county is so restrictive because I live within 100 feet of the water. That 100 foot buffer I am not allowed to touch...build, cut, or clear! My neighbor who owns a landscape company ignored this on his many acres and cleared his land under the trees and then paid the fine for clearing away too much brush. They are rich and he just accepted the fine as the cost for what he wanted to do. I feel strongly about trying to keep the environment protected and my footprint small and so I do follow the rules. I am an environmentalist as well and terrified at what we are doing to the air, water and land. I have seen more animals and birds in my yard each year.
Our county also can ask you to plant up to 3 trees for every tree you cut under a permit! But as the "good ole boy" tree cutter clarified, you can plant a seedling and if a deer eats it, it is not your fault and no one comes to check.
I will pay the permit, get permission and now that the county office knows we have planted lots of trees on our own and are not pushing our limits, they do not ask us to plant trees to replace those we bring down. I can live with it.
I am waiting for the electric company to take down the tops of two dead trees in the front of our property. Once that is done I will call dig safe to make sure we can remove the remainder of the trees by digging them out. My son will operate the backhoe to do that. He has already removed the other trees at the back of the property that we lost in the two year drought. It is our plan then to plant a Catalpa tree to honor Ron. He would carry seeds from Catalpa trees and plant them anywhere we went and then follow up to make sure they were prospering. They are a wonderful, fast growing shade tree. We do not have to get permits to remove trees on our own property. We are 1/4 mile off the lake. I don't know if those right on the lake front have to get permits.
ReplyDeleteIt all sounds pretty fair and reasonable to me. It all comes down to respect. Too few people do not feel respect for the environment.
ReplyDeleteOh, i agree with these rules. We just aren't that close to any water, and cutting down the diseased pines on our property isn't as big a situation.
ReplyDeletePeople who just pay the fine and go ahead and destroy things make me angry, too.
Obviously you aren't the problem when it comes to your area being well forested. Such a shame that people think they can cut down trees without consequences. I love trees and would hate to cut one down.
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