TREES: A curious case of pruning

A couple years ago one of the trees along Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive (near Tony’s) toppled over halfway into the lake. After several months, I called the Idaho Recreation Department (the State Rec. Dept. maintenance man who works the Centennial Trail area referred me to them). I called Boise and relayed my concerns about the fallen tree (mainly that kids were climbing out on the tree over the lake and a potential accident was possible if someone fell into the lake tangled up in the tree).

I also advised them that there were numerous trees that were leaning heavily toward the lake and possibly needed to be pruned, as they could also eventually fall in the lake. His response to me was that all the trees in that area are “ENVIRONMENTALLY PROTECTED” and cannot be touched by anyone for any reason and the reason they are “PROTECTED” is that “the trees furnish needed shade for the fish species.”

That’s absurd. The trees are on the east side of the lake and the vast majority of the sun comes from the south and west, shading the Centennial Trail, not the lake.

The reason that I relate the previous story to you is that while traveling down Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive recently, I noted tree trimmers in the area south of the Beachouse Restaurant pruning numerous trees and, in one case, totally removing a tree. I wonder why we have a concerted effort to prune trees when only a couple years ago they were untouchable and “protected.” Could it be that the regatta could have anything to do with that?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy that work on these trees that has been needed years ago is now getting done and I further hope that the work continues all the way down Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive to Tony’s. That will only happen if it is beneficial to the regatta, I fear. I just find it interesting how priorities change and the dynamics of decision-making of governmental agencies change due to influence from special interest groups, possibly?

KEITH HAWKINS

Coeur d’Alene