Cities
Six large trees have now been removed from Mathison Park in Burien, Washington.
When we suggested “stop by soon” in our Mathison Park story about the closeness of the trees to the removal boundary, we did not realize how quickly the tree removal would commence. Neither did several other people, including Eric Mathison from the donor family or a private security guard from the company Burien hires to patrol parks after hours, who said he had to call the city to find out why fences were set up around the park.
Six huge trees were removed the week of Oct. 5. I stopped by on Sunday, October 11, and all I could see was stumps. As of Friday, Oct. 16, even the stumps have been completely removed, with just a patch of sawdust at the location of the stumps, plus a huge mound the city will use elsewhere as mulch.
According to an email from the City of Burien, these newly planted trees will never grow tall enough to be an obstruction; they will eventually provide some shade for the playground, and since they are not all the same, the area as a whole will be less vulnerable to pests than if all trees were the same.
A Striking Contrast
These photos show before, during, and after removal.
Where are the tree remains now? And other mysteries….
I asked Port spokesman Perry Cooper if I could see the tree remains. I wanted to estimate the age of the trees by counting rings. He said they are offsite at a location where they were moved by the tree removal company. The Port and Burien appear to be communicating about what happens next to the cut trees. I also asked if I could count rings on the stumps before the stumps were all removed, but was informed the site was an active construction site, so no visitors were allowed.
I then asked Mr. Cooper if anyone actually measured the height of the trees. Were the height estimates accurate? He said no one checked.
In 2030, more trees will likely be removed, and the same process will be used: estimate the current height, guestimate if the tree will grow by 2035 above the limit allowed, then remove as deemed necessary. This is all outlined on the Port’s Flight Corridor Management Program pages.
What Happens Next?
The replacement trees will be planted soon. If you’d like to be involved in some way with Mathison Park volunteer opportunities, contact Burien Parks and Rec.
The Closing Word
A neighbor summed it up very well, “This whole thing is so crazy.”
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