At the next Biscayne Park Foundation Meeting (immediately preceding the Commission Meeting of August 4th), our elected officials will likely hear our outgoing Village Manager Mr. Frank Spence make a recommendation that commissioners allow a mass of 85 oak trees to be planted in Biscayne Park. This was the recent recommendation of Mr. Dan Keys (Chair, Parks & Parkways, who was appointed by Commissioner Bob Anderson), and the P & P Board.

Why is this a problem? Back in 2005, Biscayne Park received a grant to develop an inventory of trees on public medians so we could better manage our “urban forest” — which is at the heart of our bird sanctuary status, walkable and livable streets, property values and beautiful Village.

The report stated that we should refrain from planting oaks  for 5 years, and said we needed to plant more diverse species, now and into the next 10 years. Why? Because we had an imbalance of almost 25% of our trees in oaks. If an oak blight were to hit us (as is occurring in California and spreading rapidly), 1 out 4 of our trees might die. And adding more oaks planted closely, one right after the other in a line in our medians or swales, as is the desire of the Chair of the P & P,  will make blight even more likely to spread if it arrives here. Moreover, it increases the threat to our older beautiful mature oaks that everyone appreciates.

On the other hand, we would get back in balance if our commissioners heed the warnings and vote “NO” on planting the oaks this Tuesday, and “YES” on mandating that these “free” oaks…that were donated with the purpose of fund raising…be sold to other people outside the Village. This way, we can then buy other types of trees, and work to maintain and expand bio-diversity as the urban planning experts, forestry and plant disease scientists recommend.

If we adhere to the important rule found in our tree report: “That no more than 10% of any one species make up an urban forest” then our potential loss might only be 1 out of 10 of our trees; and, if we focus in the next 10 years on planting different types of shade and flowering trees, we can increase the beauty and interest of our forest for pedestrians at the same time.

In addition, ominously, when combined with our beautiful Coconut Palms, the oak count combined with palms made up 44% of our tree canopy in select prominent areas of Village land as of 2005. We have a potential loss of 1 out of  2 trees in these tree inventory identified zones, if a Lethal Yellowing  of palms returns (which happens periodically) along with an oak blight. In the rest of the Village, this same dynamic of imbalance, if not corrected, could allow 1 out of 3 trees to die and have to be removed. Property values would decline significantly in comparison to other communities who manage their trees better; and the cost of removing dead or dying trees would be of severe impact on the Village budget, and the taxpayer’s pocket book.

So, why and how has there not been a correction since the 2005 report? A significant number of oaks were planted under the direction of the P & P Board (and former Median Committee; and longstanding Chair Mr. Keys) after 2005, despite his awareness of the report; and approximately 70 additional oaks were added in 2008, again by the P & P Board and Mr. Keys, and approved by the Commission. And now there is talk of another 85 oaks being added in 2009 or early 2010. The desire and rationale as expressed by Mr. Keys is “uniformity” of appearance.

Mr. Keys stated that there was a reason that Dutch Elms were almost singularly planted over a century ago to achieve a certain neat uniform look: people liked it*. But Mr. Keys chooses to minimize the fact they were all subsequently wiped out by disease, leaving main streets across America barren and without shade for decades. When asked at one point if he was willing  to take the chance with Biscayne Park. His answer: Continue to plant oaks; and…”Yes”; so be it; if the oaks die “we will start all over”.

*(Note: visit the community of “The Crossings” in West Kendall to see an exemplary urban forest of high diversity yet uniform appearance, and how one is not mutually exclusive, as Mr. Keys might seem to argue.)

To some of us, Mr. Keys attitude is reckless and inexcusable in a public official; and, moreover, we would prefer that Mr. Keys should  learn from what many have learned during our economic recession — “Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One, or Even Two or Three  baskets” — with either your retirement portfolio, or, equally now, our respective Village Tree Portfolio.

Besides ignoring the need for a moratorium, the Village also is poised on August 4th, unless the commission votes against, to ignore the “Right-Tree-Right-Place” concept. The Chair of the Parks & Parkways Board has similarly recommended, in opposition to this best practice, that the Commission…yes, you guessed it…agree to plant more oaks…specifically in places we were told not to plant them, because of proximity to power lines (by our State of Florida Urban Forester).

The cost if we ignore our State official: over time, more power outages in the Village after storms; high cost to prune the trees (either by FPL or Biscayne Park); unsightly trees that  are carved apart in a big unnatural open “V” in the canopy — to keep power lines from discharging current and becoming a threat of electrocution for residents; and the loss of the opportunity to have smaller and other types of diverse trees that either flower or support our bird population in ways the oaks do not.

Also, we stand to alienate future State grant review committees who, if they find out, would question the Village’s ability to manage itself in this regard, and hesitate to throw good tax dollars after that which was poorly and improperly done.

Our Commissioners have been advised of this problem, and now need to correct the situation and demand adherence to scientific and urban planning best practices by Mr. Keys and the P & P Board.

If you have an interest in this issue, please contact them and let then know how you feel; and attend Park & Parkways Board meetings to help develop government accountability.

Upcoming commission meetings will be crucial — to protect our village and your property values.

–The Editors

Related Article: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/programs/nursery/metria/metria07/m79.pdf