Last night, December 15, 2015, the Mass. Department of Transportation conducted its second residents briefing of the month concerning the Mass. Pike (I90) rebuild project.
The first one was a week earlier. I have been preparing a very detailed report. I have put a lot of work into it, but still have more to do.
There, however, was one point made by MassDOT last night that really stood out.
They were talking about tree plantings which they envision as part of open space they are creating as part of the Mass. Pike project.
They mentioned only one variety and emphasized that one variety.
Norway Maples.
I, most definitely, am not a tree expert, but it is extremely common to hear strong statements on environmental matters from Cambridge or the DCR, and then to hear exactly the opposite from normal human beings. On matters which I do understand, the normal human beings have ALWAYS been the correct parties.
The DCR varies in its reasons for the imminent massive destruction on Memorial Drive between the BU Bridge and the Longfellow Bridge. They vary the explanation, it would appear, with what the listener is likely to swallow.
“We are destroying Norway Maples” was the strong statement / excuse made by the DCR’s legislative liaison.
I have torn that bizarre position to pieces, along with other outrageous excuses in section 1 of my report yesterday, posted at: http://charlesriverwhitegeeseblog.blogspot.com/2015/12/charles-river-logging-photos-13th.html.
Included in section 4 of that report is a link to my VERY DETAILED 19 page letter to MassDOT as to why MassDOT should give the legislature the courtesy of input as to whether the Mass. Pike project should increase the responsibilities of the DCR by allocating the new open space to the tender mercies of the DCR.
There is also a link in section 4 to my letter to the Governor going further on the issue of the DCR’s lack of fitness to perform its assigned duties on the Charles.
But I have a great deal of respect for MassDOT.
And I will eventually get out my detailed report on the Mass. Pike project in light of these two meetings.
In any case, for multiple reasons, DCR should be stripped of a lot if not all of its powers on the lower Charles River in favor of MassDOT.
This latest input from MassDOT elaborates on the situation.
The DCR is a belligerent, mindless destroyer of the environment. This time, it is supposedly Norway Maples. The DCR will destroy trees because they are Norway Maples whether the trees, in reality, are Norway Maples or not.
Definite conflict.
PS: Leading this post is a photo of a magnificent Willow which is one of the many non Norway Maple trees the DCR is determined to destroy because, according to the DCR’s legislative liaison, these non Norway Maples are Norway Maples.
