The holes were dug earlier in the week by the park department. This cooperation between the department and Conservancy indicates that the department is as committed as ever to the faux buffer, aka Weed Wall. The Wildands owns hundreds of acres on South Mountain, where they could plant all the trees they want.
I recently offended some officials by stating that the current public park input meetings are a political dog and pony show. If the city really cares about how the residents feel about the parks, they can read the Facebook group Allentown Chronicles. On the group, hundreds of residents have expressed their disgust with the weed walls.
Maybe it’s time for a “Hands Off Our Parks” campaign.
ReplyDeleteDidn't they allow powlowskis pac to harvest hardwood up on south mountain?
ReplyDeleteWhen Hallmark Homes out of Bucks County starts wiping out the forest on the 8 acres directly south of the Cedar Creek Parkway and adjoining Cedar Crest College on Cedar Crest Boulevard, locals will wish the Nature Conservancy would plant even more trees. That development may have modern state of the art stormwater managment facilities, but the site work and home construction will create some temporary problems that will be way worse than enhancing a riparian buffer.
ReplyDeleteI’m sure the Wildlands got a grant for the tree planting and profited nicely off of it.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago, somebody pointed out that the city’s new Parks Director is an arborist, as if that is a qualification for the job.
If the Parks Director is going to allow our world class park system to be spoiled by weekend do-gooders working at the behest of a grant-chasing non-profit, it really doesn’t matter if they’re an arborist or not.
The city needs a parks Director willing to stand up for the original design of the parks. It needs someone to advocate for the protection of the parks. The city’s parks are not meant to be a forested area to preserve wildlife. They are designed to be a well-maintained area that serves the city’s residents.
A competent parks Director (and mayor) would realize that every cookie cutter project proposed by the Wildlands group that is implemented in the city only takes away from the uniqueness of our parks.
Although some old and damaged willows along Cedar Creek were removed, others had their damaged pruned and were retained. I was glad to see that. I'm hoping that some of new saplings planted by the creek are willows.
DeleteAnon 350. Your comment smacks of simplisticness. Parks are living and breathing and evolving. The world is a far different place then it was when it was established. Compare a house built at the same time. In 2025 it would be modernized with central heat and air from a coal furnace or fireplace. It would have several comfortable bathrooms with functional plumbing as opposed to basic fixtures. There is a state of art kitchen with modern conveniences. Unimproved and historically preserved is a museum. Updated is a home to grow a family. MM insistence to preserve the park as it was when it was established will bring about obsolescence. Of course maintain the WPA structures. It is a different discussion about the function and environmental impact.
DeleteUncle Harry is rolling over in his grave and quite probably going into epileptic fits seeing what is happening to his lifted properties?
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