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July 20, 2007

Field Park Before its devastation of trees.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

The 147 year old Locust Tree in Field Park is about to be Destroyed. The 'Davis Tree Care' Trucks Should have been renamed for today's events.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

Oak Park Park Board Under Pressure from State Authorities Agreed to Killing 6 Trees Instead of the 28 Originally Planned for Field Park.
report and commentary by Ed Vincent

Commissioner Graves comments at meeting before the 36" Diameter, 147 year old
Locust Tree was Taken Down Early in the Morning, Before the Harry Potter
Celebration and other Festivities.

Commissioner Graves' comments have many mixed messages
stated in her opinions of the fate of Field Park. On one hand she says she likes the compromise and on the other she says
that she is noting the day when the other Locust tree dies and
a larger field can take its place (the way the Board wanted it
originally) so much for compromise. Even the apparent
flippant remark of the felling by chain saws shows a lack of
sensitivity to the trees, but also what they represent.

One of the many healthy trees killed this morning in Field Park.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

The entire event was early and fast and tree trunks were even leveled
flat to the ground and below the surface.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

Park Board President Gartner is protected by
local Police. The supervising deputy police chief
in white is reported to be retiring this year.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photos

Some of the Design team of Altamanu are present to observe the tree destruction. Note: They are observing in the shade of a tree, similar to ones they are destroying in plans and practice.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photo

The trees reported age would make it a sapling at about the time
of the ending of the United States Civil War, perhaps it was planted
as an offering of Peace and now a sacrifice to those who view them
with less prestige or poetry in mind.

Police have their cars parked above the root systems of trees that had been originally scheduled for demolition, and the same trees that when they die some want removed so that the fields can be made bigger--negating the current temporary compromise with the State of Illinois.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photos

A neighbor tries to inform the Oak Park Police officials about the danger to the trees of cars parked underneath them. She had made numerous attempts to speak with the supervising deputy chief and he never came out to speak with her. On her second attempt, while still several hundred yards away from the actual destruction being done, the woman is escorted out of the area by police.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photos

Quickly destroying the evidence of their deeds, the tree care experts leave nothing behind but memories of a fallen grove.
© Suburban Journals of Chicago photos

Reflecting on the death of trees, having witnessed their immediate demise, the transformation from forested grove to
barren landscape brings sorrow to an element of the past.

Trees had once been one of our best friends, a long time
before the dog or any beast of burden. When humans were
evolving into the Homo sapiens sapiens (Linnaeus, 1758) they
had spent their earlier years finding sanctuary in trees, salvation from earth dwelling predators. Historically, we should be
thankful for the comfort and security of those early trees and
perhaps have some reverence for their lives as a symbiotic entity
in our own growth. Perhaps without being a philosopher,
poet, or artisit, our vestigial memories of the arboreal realm
have all faded or failed to materialize in our present existence.

In other words, if you have either never had, or wished for a
tree house, never seen Swiss Family Robinson, or read one
book with dreamy photos or paintings of trees sheltering people,
maybe you are a barren landlubber with no visions of the
forest.

You might even prefer a printed page, one with harvested trees
for paper. You can always print this page and use lots of ink too on the photos.

In case you missed at the start of this writing here it is again:

Commissioner Graves comments at meeting before the 36" Diameter, 147 year old
Locust Tree was Taken Down Early in the Morning, Before the Harry Potter
Celebration and other Festivities.