Power to the trees
East-side residents want to bury high-voltage lines to save urban canopy
Isthmus, January 28, 2016 by Judith Davidoff
Soon after news broke that an entire row of trees on Emmet Street had been cut down by the American Transmission Co., neighbors to the south, across Atwood Avenue, offered condolences to those grieving the loss.
“The tree in front of your house is a family member — it shades your home, the birds nest in it, you hang your kids’ swing in it — it is part of your life,” wrote one resident on an east-side neighborhood association listserve. “You may not even know how much of a friend it is until it’s gone.”
But, he added, “The way you see the terrace tree in front of your house or on your block is completely different from the way that city forestry or Madison Gas and Electric or ATC…see it…. The city forester’s main job is not to protect or plant or preserve trees but rather to prevent any tree-related liability. We have to address this disconnect, and our community will be a better place for trees and people.”