There's hope
After neighborhood residents (and concerned citizens from across the City) expressed shock and dismay about recent tree fellings downtown (see the previous posts here and here), the Mayor’s office has promised a new process will be implemented for tree removal. Until the process is in place, in the interim no tree can be cut down within the City limits without prior approval of the deputy directors of both the Horticulture and Streets and Sanitation Departments. This is certainly a step in the right direction for more transparency and accountability when it comes to chopping down trees.
For anyone who is interested, the public is invited to attend the next meeting of the Birmingham Planning Commission, Wednesday December 1 at 8:30 AM in City Council Chambers, City Hall. This should be a chance to make your voice heard on this issue.
[Thanks to Terry McComb for the 20th Street pic]
Bhamarchitect's Blog 
I’m glad you guys have stayed on top of this. I was shocked the day the trees were cut down that you mentioned in the other articles. The street looked so bare, it was out of place.
A friend of mine who has lived all over the world eventually settled in Birmingham and plans to stay. When I asked him (10 years or so ago) why he chose Birmingham his answer was, “there’s so much green here, the trees and plans are what make this city different and better.”
We should be careful not to forget how important things like trees are to the “feel” of a city.
A good start, but the city needs to create a new street tree plan for various parts of the city center. Most of the trees presently enjoyed were planted in the 1980’s. Some, like Bradford Pears, were not a good choice. And street trees, in general, don’t live as long as their couterparts in parks. The key is to not have a random mix but a thoughtful repetition to give whole streets the benefit of their architecture.
Thanks for the December date!
This is my #1 pet project for downtown, and for living downtown.
IDEA: Wouldn’t it be lovely to have Cherry Trees lining First Avenue South? (from 22nd Street to 25th)
That’s such a cozy strip there where Pullman Flatts are located. Cherry blossoms in the Spring would cozy it up even more.
Good to hear. I agree with Philip about the value of a planting plan. Historically, our city has done a great job with plantings and urban forestry (with notable exceptions), and we should aim to raise the standard even higher.