Queens Gazette

Parks Dept. Harms Trees





To The Editor:

The historic grove in Kissena Park is being attacked, not by beetles, vandals or picnickers, but by our own Parks Department. Over a hundred years ago, Samuel Parsons gathered specimens from all over the world to create an outstanding landscape that is irreplaceable. The preparation of the mall for the Korean War Memorial is taking place next to this grove and the Parks Department has not made sufficient efforts to protect the trees.

Beverly McDermott, president of Kissena Park Civic [Association], and I have been involved from the beginning in the preparation of this memorial and we were proud to support our vets, but we have begged Parks to be mindful of these trees. We have the support and advice of a licensed arborist in our civic association in contending that the present operations are damaging the root zone of the grove and have seen every day another mistake by the contractor.

“Mistakes were made” is the motto of the day echoed by Parks. As a daily user of the park, I see an environmental tragedy unfolding from a few careless actions. When the lake was redone a few years ago, a section of London plane [trees] was damaged. Parks does not learn and will not listen. [City] Commissioner [Adrian] Benepe and [Queens] Commissioner [Dorothy] Lewandowski are risking our natural heritage by their stubborn disregard of proper conservation.

The history and beauty of the grove should preserve the gift of the original nurserymen of Flushing who gave many varieties of trees to this country, particularly those of Asian origin, such as the Japanese Maple and the Golden Larch. It is time for the present residents of Queens to raise their voices in protest to those in the Parks Department who are not worthy keepers of this heritage. Sincerely yours, Sally E. Kahn Flushing


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