Where two Aberdeen municipal candidates’ opposition to tree-planting requirements shows a short-sighted disdain for aesthetics and environmental science, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plan for a new Eiffel Tower greenway offers practical and pretty design that symbolizes the city’s resolve to fight climate change:
Q: Est-ce qu’il manquait à Paris un grand poumon vert ?
Hidalgo: Je suis convaincue que l’avenir des villes passe par le développement de la place de la nature et sa conjugaison avec notre formidable patrimoine historique. Ce projet, qui fera le tour du monde j’en suis sûr, témoigne de la capacité de Paris à respecter son Histoire tout en se réinventant en permanence et en relevant le défi climatique qui est devant nous. Tous les experts et les scientifiques s’accordent à dire que nous avons jusqu’en 2030 pour adapter nos villes au dérèglement climatique et pour réduire les pollutions et la production de gaz à effet de serre. Ce très beau projet s’inscrit dans cette logique de transformation d’une ville très minérale vers une ville plus végétale.
Q: Has Paris been lacking a great green core (literally, lung, source of oxygen)?
Hidalgo: I am convinced that the future of cities lies in developing a place for nature in conjunction with our great cultural heritage. This project, which will spread around the world I am sure, testifies to the ability of Paris to respect its history while reinventing itself for good and taking up the climate challenge that is before us. All the experts and scientists agree that we have until 2030 to adapt to the climate imbalance and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This very beautiful project aligns with this logic of transforming from a city very inorganic to a city more organic [CAH translation; Mayor Anne Hidalgo, interviewed by Christine Henry and Nicolas Maviel, “Grand jardin Trocadéro-tour Eiffel, Anne Hidalgo a «voulu ce projet pour les Parisiens»,” Le Parisien, 2019.05.21].
Such global green vision seems to escape some parochial Aberdeen shopkeepers who complain that the cost of planting a couple trees deters them from expanding their parking lots. Anne Hidalgo, sauvez-nous de notre myopie capitaliste!
Aberdeen and all the top ten towns in SD need a full time town arborist. I didn’t know Littleton had one until I lodged a complaint about a hundred foot tall, dead cottonwood blocking my view of the foothills. Darned thing was cut down by the town, chopped into pulp and donated to anyone who wanted it within a couple months. I’ve learned that every tree here in the historic district has a number and a computer log of it’s history, feeding and trimming. We have great trees that all are proud of. If a tree on the sidewalks of main street dies the merchants compete to see who can claim the honor of planting a new one. Just sayin’.
Ginkgos are OK, as long as they are not the females with the stinky fruit. Kentucky Coffeetree is a good alternative. Some of the oaks have wonderful color if you do not want to do a maple.
If you want something smaller, there is a variety of ohio buckeye called “Lavaburst” that would be interesting to try. I would look at the serviceberries and hardy cherries for round-the-year interest and a slightly smaller size.
Aberdeen’s landscape ordinance is hurting small businesses. I heard today of another business that has scrapped its remodeling plans because they do not feel they can include all the requirements and still have sufficient parking and traffic flow around their business. These tree islands that you see in parking lots around Aberdeen are not aesthetic looking, but just places for trash to collect with a scraggly tree in the middle.
And do not get me started on how difficult it is for larger vehicles to maneuver through parking lots with tree islands. I have seen more then one trailer hung up on these islands.
Trees have places they should be and in the middle of parking lots is not a proper place for a tree. A better solution would be to require businesses to contribute a certain amount to a future city park fund so that the city can improve parks or purchase land for more parks.
Trees in boulevards near intersections or driveways is another location where trees should not be located. I know of many locations around Aberdeen where trees block site distance or hide traffic signs which is a safety issue.
Shaded areas provides protection to paved areas due to heat
We can have our southern fiends vouch for that, so that is saved money on pavement
Anyone that doesn’t start a business as planned because of a tree in the parking lot, didn’t have a sound plan to begin with. If that statement is really true.
Aberdeen is growing right now, trees will not stop the growth. Wonder where NSU is going to put their new trees on street with all that new growth.
Beautiful new campus and buildings
Scott also agree with you as to the space
But disagree with why bigger rigs get hung up on the island.
Look at the entire parking system in Aberdeen, built for maybe a large pickup, oh menards I’ll give them a for effort for maneuvering a little pull trailer, the rest is built for a 4 door
Even try and maneuver a semi cab w small flat bed to new Runnings. Turning lanes small, lake if controlled light, limitless potholes, need I go on. Their fight should be science with lengths and widths making turn swith ease, not the so many feet a tree.
Give us all safe maneuvering and throw some trees in, can be done
Lack a controlled light I meant
“myopie capitaliste!”
I think I can guess, even without using Translate,” that is something about “myopic capitalists.” How’d I do Cory?
Northfield has lots of trees and they’re well cared for. It might be interesting to know what the tree and green density is of more successful towns. Of course definitions would be in order before that could be studied.
When I was in college in Aberdeen, 1971-76, Aberdeen’s population was 25,000+/-. NSC’s campus felt very green and cool in the summer. There were some wonderful streets where summertime trees canopied the street. I recall that Lincoln, near campus, was like that and a wonderful respite on hot days.
On the other hand, areas like downtown felt like hot, dry and unwelcoming concrete deserts.
It’s interesting to note that Aberdeen has barely grown in the past 40 years. They’ve added a 4 lane highway from an interstate that didn’t exist in ’76, a mall and a few other items. Have they added trees? I haven’t been to Aberdeen since 2000, and it didn’t seem tree-ier to me.
Hmmmm.🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Debbo
There is still a concrete and pavement feel
Take a drive on 12 or 212 into MN
Trees and flowers mostly importantly MN people are clean, rarely see discarded trash. Aberdeen first impression coming in from the east on 12 is cold and junky. First stop light is graveyard for vehicle glass and remnants of taillights. Goodwill made home by menards, more steel and cement. Yes NSU is beautiful place, more metal and bolts to the east, no Jerde hall, maybe a newer one going up? Times r a changing
(Wo trees)
There’s a flip side to everything.
Cities have been planting so many male trees to avoid the mess female trees make, that it makes allergy season all the worse for all the pollen in the air.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/botanical-sexism-cultivates-home-grown-allergies/?redirect=1
Wayne B., thanks for a most interesting link. I did not know that we were screwing with Mother Nature regarding these trees. This needs to stop, we can handle the mess. Also, Scientific American is a magazine that I used to read with much joy. I still have a couple of years worth of the magazines in the garage from about 1991-1993. Good stuff. Thanks
Aberdeen has a city forester, Aaron Kiesz. Is that the same thing as an arborist?
The city gave us two free trees, planted them in our boulevard, and watered them for us. Aberdeen’s Forestry Division does good work.
Rapid City also has a board for forestry. Interesting posts Cory, more information for a great cause. Thanks https://www.rcgov.org/departments/parks-recreation/parks-division/urban-forestry.html
Cory. A city forester sounds like the same position as an arborist. Good on Aberdeen.
One of my old professors always maintained that humans try to recreate a savannah-like environment, because that resembles the environment we evolved in. It seems we don’t create dense forests or prairies, but we like scattered trees with a grassy understory. It’s just an evolutionary imperative to have trees, even over asphalt.
I know from sitting in on some local government hearings, that landscaping issues are a hassle for businesses, but businesses that have those trees know that parking spots near the trees are highly favored. An advantage of breaking up those big lots with tree islands is exactly for the purpose of slowing down traffic and making lots safer and more customer friendly. I’ve seen some restaurants put a picnic table out there, which provides more seating for customers who might prefer to eat out there.