When Irene stormed through Cedar Park, she knocked down and broke a number of the old willow trees. The sight of these magnificent trees along the creek banks is the view-shed cherished by us proponents of the historical park system. As a boy in 1955, I remember the same damage in the aftermath of Hurricane Diane. Many of the remaining willows are now about 75 years old, and at the end of their life span. Although they held the creek banks together for three generations, they have lost favor to riparian buffers.
It's nice to sit by the bank under a willow tree and watch the ducks swim by. Hopefully, somewhere along the banks of the Little Lehigh and Cedar Creek, there is still some open space for a few new weeping willows.
above reprinted from 2011
UPDATE APRIL 20, 2020: The last nine years haven't been any kinder to the old willows. The photo above is from the most recent storm. Although I purchased a willow to be planted in Cedar Park a few years ago, they refused to plant it along the creek edge. Seems as if that is not permitted by the Wildlands Conservancy, which instead demands riparian buffers. I put more faith in General Trexler's landscape architect of 1928, who ordered willow trees planted every 25 feet along the creeks. Their shallow roots spread out and held the banks together for four generations of Allentonians. They allowed us to enjoy the creeks as envisioned by the General and city fathers of the time. Hopefully, someday, some mayor will again reclaim our park system for the citizens of Allentown.
ADDENDUM OCTOBER 10, 2024:I've been fighting for the willows and the traditional park system for about two decades. Since 2006, one park director after another has come to resent this blog. Although I can't say I made any progress with the mission, I never doubted the value of my endeavor.
If you want to see true damage to the willows, and the original park design, I suggest you look at the area upstream from the Fish Hatchery.
ReplyDeleteThe specific area I'm talking about is if you would drive straight out of the Fish Hatchery and follow Keystone Avenue. After about 300 yards, the road bends to the left and there is a parking lot there (also on the left).
If you park in the lot and walk across the field to the stream, the bank has been cleared to the water (which is good), but the stream-bank willows have been replaced by a small grove of other trees. Large wooden poles (resembling telephone poles) have been laid down between the stream bank and the creek, presumably to help stabilize the stream bank from erosion. I believe that was previously accomplished by planting willow trees along the stream bank.
I saw it from the opposite side of the creek, so I can't say exactly what type of trees are in the newly planted area, so hopefully I'm misinterpreting what's been done. But I do know that right now what's been done appears to be an eyesore that is not in line with the original park design. Hopefully I'm wrong.
My modest objective now is reinstating the traditional bank and willow design for Cedar Park in the Rose Garden area, and Lehigh Parkway in the Robin Hood area.
ReplyDeleteUnderstood, but I worry that what I see upstream from the Fish Hatchery their test lab for what will be coming to Cedar Park/Robin Hood.
ReplyDelete