Residents of the town of Tumwater, Wash., are rallying for the benefit of a 400-year-old oak tree threatened by being cut down — but in the process, they’re facing intense pressure from city officials.
Despite being on the historic register, the Davis Meeker Garry Oak Tree will be removed due to safety concerns with the approval of Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan, according to local NBC affiliate KING-TV . “I would endanger public safety. I’m not willing to do that,” Sullivan said.
Last year, a 10-foot branch fell about 50 feet from the tree, prompting Sullivan to hire a team of arborists to examine the tree for health, KING-TV said. They then determined that the removal of the tree was necessary to protect the public.
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However, at the last minute, Tumwater residents who wanted to preserve the historic tree received excellent news, albeit temporary, that the tree could remain standing due to a judge’s order.
Davis Meeker Garry Oak Tree.
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Per Chronicle, Thurston County Superior Court Judge Sharonda Amamilo issued a temporary restraining order on May 24 preventing the city from cutting down the tree. The restraining order was obtained by the group Save The Davis Meeker Garry Oak, which argued that city officials had “used city government to destroy the historic tree.”
The group’s attorney, Ronda Larson Kramer, spoke about the ruling, saying Chronicle“The mayor of Tumwater has led the abuse of a city code designed to protect historic buildings and essentially turned it on its head by claiming to allow the cutting of this historic tree without a permit.”
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The battle doesn’t end there, as Larson also revealed that the city has pushed back against the recent ruling. “The city has now filed a motion to revoke the judge’s protection, ignoring the wishes of the citizens and an earlier decision by its own Historic Preservation Commission to keep the tree,” she said.
In response to the temporary court victory, residents recently held a celebration of the tree’s legacy where they gathered with food, music and information about the tree in an effort to rally community members and push their efforts forward.
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Source: HIS Education