“I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” — “The Lorax,” by Dr Suess When the new town board chairman for Bennett Township, south of Superior, took a drive on some of the local gravel roads, he noticed two very old, tall white pines on the edge of Summer Road. Since that day, it appears he has been on a mission to have the trees cut down.
Citing Wisconsin statutes regarding vegetation in roadway easements, he deemed the trees a safety hazard that could be a great financial liability in an imagined case of a drunk driver or another motorist running into the trees and suing the township. He put the issue on the town board agenda in June. ADVERTISEMENT One resident of Summer Road happened to see the agenda and brought it to the attention of others.
Letters of objection were sent, phone calls were made to the three board members, and a handful of residents were at the meeting to protest the possibility of cutting down these historic, iconic trees. Under pressure, the town board conceded to allow the residents two months to find an alternative to destroying the trees. On Aug.
12, the Summer Road white pines were again on the board agenda. This time, many more residents were in attendance, and there was an hour of heated debate and protest (“ Bennett residents work to save towering pines ,” Aug. 14).
Expressions of frustration and anger were voiced by many. One woman, with an almost 100-year family history on the road, was almost in tears recounting the beauty and historic value of the stately white pines. Another mentioned hugging the trees on her daily walk with her dog.
The fact that there has never been a reported accident involving the trees since the road was established was voiced, as well as the very low probability of any accident ever happening. Again, under public pressure, the town board reluctantly postponed the decision, this time until Oct. 14.
I, too, love the trees and cannot imagine losing the towering beauty, shade, and strength they provide along the short, gravel, dead-end road. As a group, residents are looking for alternatives that will negate any township liability. Maybe there is a Wisconsin or national organization that has found a way to protect valuable trees such as these.
This is not a new issue. Everywhere on our planet, people have relied on the grace and beauty trees provide. And, also everywhere, governmental bodies have destroyed this sanctity by cutting trees.
It is an old story that needs to change. The bottom line has traditionally been money and corporate profit, which cannot forever be wielded by town boards, mayors, county boards, state legislators, and federal governments with disregard for humanity’s need for natural spaces. ADVERTISEMENT Quality of life must become the new bottom line.
Our relationship with the natural world is becoming recognized as a primary need for emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual health. The popularity worldwide of forest bathing is testimony to this. We need trees.
Tall, old, stately trees. We need to walk on the ground and feel our connection to the only home we have: Earth. It is not easy to speak up to governmental bodies.
It can be intimidating. But to remain silent leaves the outdated status quo in place, and that doesn’t work anymore. I speak for the trees and hope others will, too.
Help us save these majestic trees. Laura Star of Lake Nebagamon is a freelance writer, artist, and T'ai Chi Chih teacher..
