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From the State Capitol to Honolulu Hale. From the headquarters of Hawaii’s Big Five Companies to the Makiki shop owner and just about every other corner of Hawai‘i government and business those seven little words “Have you talked to The Outdoor Circle” have been repeated countless times.
But it was exactly the opposite, not talking to The Outdoor Circle, that landed the Department of Transportation (DOT) in a negative light with the cutting and removal of hundreds of trees on the H-2 Freeway.
The massive tree removal began at the end of June and prompted dozens of telephone complaints to our office. We are usually consulted prior to a removal action of this magnitude but unfortunately that didn’t happen this time.
We prefer to have the opportunity to have trees assessed by qualified arborists to determine if they are structurally hazardous or if their locations present a threat to motorists. We did not have the opportunity to do that in this instance and were as surprised as those traveling on H-2 when the work began.
DOT has used every excuse in the book for removing these trees. Scott Ishikawa, the department’s spokesperson, said that a tree limb fell on their emergency call box prompting the clear cutting. In their press release DOT also said they cut down the Albizia, Opiuma and Christmas Berry trees because they were invasive. We believe there are far too many trees of these types classified as invasive species to ever remove them from Hawaii’s landscape, nor would the public stand for that.
It should be stated that The Outdoor Circle is not for saving hazardous trees and had DOT told us in advance and allowed us to walk the site we might have agreed that some number needed to be removed. But 70-100 trees? We think not!
The DOT has promised to replant the area with native trees by the end of the year. You have our promise that we will be reminding them of that promise regularly. And by the way, DOT also has promised to call The Outdoor Circle before taking on a project of this magnitude again.
Technorati Tags: Trees, Billboards, Green, Hawai‘i, OutdoorCircle
Thank you Outdoor Circle and to those that submitted their complaints. When I first noticed the trees being cut after the Ka Uka cutoff I didn’t think much about it. I assumed they were going to be installing new lights. As they cut nearer to the Mauka on ramp it started to bother my husband and I. We have lived in Mauka for the last 12 years. We look forward to that drive on the H2 especially after leaving the traffic at the merge. It’s a beautiful thing to see as you approach Kipapa gultch. It’s relaxing to see this see of green.
Why didn’t the state start looking into this issue years ago? If the trees are that much of a hazzard they should have started planting another type of tree so that by now it would be at a pretty decent size. They could then start taking the Albizia’s down.
I have never seen or heard of larger branches coming down in all the years I have lived there. You do get smaller branches coming down especially in bad wheather but that’s to be expected.
From what I could see the trees that they took down all looked pretty healthy to me. The state should be checking all trees near major roadways yearly.
I hope this issue is resolved soon and that the out come is a good one. I will really hate my drive home if it’s bear.
I do not agree with Jason Thomasa on his comments. I would have to ask if he lives in Mililani or not.
Also, let’s not get ridiculous here, as Mr. Thomasa’s post suggests. It’s also ridiculous for the state to go out on a rampage to get all the trees, even the ones that pose no threat. If big trees were such a bad danger, why do they plant giant monkeypod trees in the median strips in Miiilani? Do you think that they may eventually get old too and die and topple over and kill people?
I could bet you a pretty dollar that if the state was chopping down the all the trees while Castle and Cook were trying to sell their top model homes, they would have had a cow and complained! It would have looked bad, indeed. Worked would have screeched to a immediate halt.
Scott Ishikawa needs to be kicked out of the DOT. He’s obviously oblivious to the community and its sensitivities. He only fuels his agenda and doesn’t give any kind of heads up to the community or the Outdoor Circle. Trees are more than just “decoration”. They play a spiritual role in some people’s beliefs and mean a lot to the community, as evidenced by the number of angry phone calls.
Also, if the state is replacing the trees, what kind? Why don’t they tell taxpayers what kind of price tag its going to fetch? Why rip out majestic trees, replant them with other trees and charge us for it? Who OK’d this project anyway?
I am so grateful the Outdoor circle exists to protect the beauty in Hawaii. Great job! Please keep it up so this kind of atrocity doesn’t happen.
Recently with the Lake Tahoe fires, one of the few homes to be spared was the home of a guy who cut down trees around his house (in violation of the neighborhood regulations)to create a buffer zone from any forest fire. Had more trees been cut down, maybe more homes would have been saved.
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I really do not get tree huggers. Sometimes, it is better to cut down trees than to leave them standing. Two cases in point. What if one of those trees, after years of disease and deterioration, falls over in the middle of the busy H2 freeway? What is more valuable- the lives of your neighbors or some crazy tree than can be replanted in another place. Some of those trees were looking pretty bad. That would be a trial lawyer’s dream case there. Who would end up filling that bill? Yep, that is right, the taxpayers. But to the left, the more government the better I guess, no matter how much of our money they have to spend.
Also, recently with the Lake Tahoe fires, one of the few homes to be spared was the home of a guy who cut down trees around his house (in violation of the neighborhood regulations)to create a buffer zone from any forest fire. Had more trees been cut down, maybe more homes would have been saved.
If we could go in an cut down some of those driest areas of the forest (while replanting trees elsewhere), you essentially cut down the possible fuel for future forest fires.
It is just a tree. They can be replaced (and should be). I say cut one down, plant a new one somewhere else. But when the tree becomes a danger, it must be cut or trimmed if possible and if it cannot be saved, for the overall public safety, they must go.
How would you feel if, because one of these trees is left in place only to fall on a car and someone is killed. Was saving that tree worth it to you? Was saving that tree worth that person’s life?
Lets not hope you have to answer that question.