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First published: Friday, March 3, 2006
They called on park officials to hold off on removing trees wrapped in yellow tape, the mark of condemnation, for being a possible safety threat to drivers and walkers along the avenue.
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"We're asking for a stay of execution so there can be discussion with the public. We're asking that they not be chopped down tomorrow," said Amy Doern, the protest organizer.
"I'd hate to see it turn into an avenue of tree stumps," Doern said.
Louise Goldstein, who has fought with state parks officials to get the Victoria Pool in the park renovated, said the public should have a chance to study the removal of the trees.
"It's our park," she said.
The avenue was closed on Feb. 17 during a windstorm in which George Green, a state Department of Transportation worker, was crushed to death by a falling pine tree. The 2,200-acre park was closed to the public while fallen and damaged trees were removed.
Last week, state parks crews tagged some of the white pines for removal as they moved through the park cutting down damaged trees. The pines are in twin rows along each side of the avenue.
Warren Holliday, the parks' Saratoga-Capital District Region director, said not all of the removal work is finished.
After opening the avenue, he said, some 6 or 8 trees with yellow ribbons were left.
"They are what remain of hundreds of yellow ribbons. Certainly, these trees have been identified as having the potential to be dangerous in windstorms like we had," Holliday said.
The trees to be removed may have some woodpecker or insect damage. Holliday explained some of the trees must be taken down since they are no longer protected from winds by trees that are now gone.
"I'm just as heartsick as anyone to take down the trees. We have to make the park safe," Holliday said.
State Parks will plant trees to replace those that have fallen. Parks officials said a forestry plan will be developed to deal with the damage that occurred.
Cleanup of windstorm damage continues. The Spa Park was crushed by high winds that whipped across it and severed electrical power to 213,000 National Grid customers.
Kenneth C. Crowe II can be reached at 581-8438 or by e-mail at kcrowe@timesunion.com.