City Budget Cuts To Ax Fort Worth Trees?
by Steve SmithThis email was just forwarded from a friend of Courtney Blevins, Regional Urban Forester with the Texas Forest Service:
Just found out that proposed city budget cuts include measures that will gut the municipal forestry program for Ft. Worth. This is the leading municipal urban forestry program in the state. The actual wording in the budget is, “G) The proposed budget decreases by ($338,197) for the elimination of the community tree planting program. This includes six positions as well as supplies and contractual expenditures.”
What this means is the loss of foresters, shutting down the city tree nursery along with four more positions there and eliminating the city tree planting program (neighborhood trees and public space planting done by city crews), eliminating the Citizen Forester program, loss of Tree City USA status after almost 30 years (Texas’ first Tree City), loss of webmaster for both the city forestry site and the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council, elimination of multiple public educational programs (Arbor Day, school presentations, environmental poster contest, etc.)
This goes to Council for a vote very soon, on Sept. 16th.
Unless they hear from people against this action we can expect it to go through. If you are willing may I suggest contacting the Council members and Mayor to voice your concerns or possibly a letter to the editor of the Star-Telegram. Hopefully we can prevent this action and preserve the oldest forestry program in the State of Texas.
Tags: city council
5 Comments, Comments or Pings
Max
What happened to the gazillions of dollars that Chesapeake gave to the Tree Department (or whatever) and that they trumpeted so loudly when they mowed down all of those trees at the Trinity Trees site? Or is this just a ploy to set them up as a white knight coming in to save the day?
Aug 15th, 2008
Don Young
If your imagined scenario about Chesapeake were to occur would it absolve them of their dirty work in the Fort Worth region? Add up the number acres of trees and grasslands that have been replaced by impervious caliche drilling pads/roads and you begin to see the shortfall. Trees and grass store carbon dioxide which MITIGATE global warming. Methane, the chief component of NG is also one of the most powerful greenhouse gases that CAUSE global warming. Barnett Shale gas drilling combined with typical weather patterns and air that is already out of federal compliance is like a perfect storm that is steadily debilitating our air quality. Throw in a few thousand new tanker trucks roaming the highways full of toxic saltwater and the dirty business of its disposal, and the picture begin to get muddier still.
Perhaps the biggest contributors to our dirty air are Julie Wilson and Ed Ireland. The combination of her PR campaigns and his Barnett Shale Energy Education Council (BSEEC) would easily win the trophy for Biggest Liars of All-Time.
As a member of the Urban Forestry Board, I was disappointed to learn that gas drillers are exempt from the tree ordinance that everyone else has to follow. Ever ask yourself how they managed to do that and Wal-Mart couldn’t?
Now that the city tree farm is in jeopardy and major cutbacks in the Parks department are likely just around the corner, the “Most Livable City” status that elected officials and the chamber of commerce like to tout seems lost in the ozone.
Aug 15th, 2008
DS
rumors
Aug 15th, 2008
Ann
I have written to my council member. After hearing a presentation on the update to the Comprehensive Plan that has a vision statement that includes the following:
“Fort Worth’s environmental quality will also be superior, meeting the highest national standards”
I hope they reconsider.
Aug 15th, 2008
Chewy
Here’s a link I was sent earlier today by the city. I encourage everyone to complete it and pass it on as if enough people respond with awareness and support then maybe it can help make a difference:
http://www.fortworthgov.org/forms/default.aspx?ekfrm=57676
Aug 15th, 2008
Reply to “City Budget Cuts To Ax Fort Worth Trees?”
By posting your comment, you agree to abide by the terms of the West and Clear comment policy.