Globally, about 15 billion trees are cut down every year.
I suspect there were politicians, business people and bureaucrats offered valid reasons and a whole lot of rationalizations about why so many trees "needed" to be cut down.
If you consider Wellington Hills ex-Park as an example....
• For decades it was a small, open to everyone, 9-hole golf course. The mature trees in Wellington are about 100 years old.
• King County gave Snohomish County $70 million so that King County’s Brightwater sewage plant could be built in Snohomish County.
• King Co and Snoco agreed to build a community park for the residents near Brightwater.
• Snoco then decided a “park” meant a regional sports complex.
• Community activists and your average homeowner stood-up and said there was no reason to cut down a 100-year-old forest and destroy the peaceful and rural Wellington Hills community.
• After many years Snoco tossed their plans to build a regional sports complex on the Wellington site.
• Instead, Snoco secretly sold the site to Northshore School District.
• Northshore School District bureaucrats decided, despite the fact they need new schools in other areas of their domain, they would build several schools on the Wellington site.
• Oh, and don’t ignore this – Northshore will be busing children to Wellington from other areas because this area doesn’t have the population to fill new schools.
• It’s expensive to build schools, $130+ million is a good ballpark number for a K-8 school, and architects don’t do “organic” architecture when it comes to blueprinting a school… they cut down trees, flatten the ground and then build the new schools.
• Contrary to the words of a Northshore bureaucrat, the Wellington site is not, “Flat, Dry & Cheap”.
• All the rationalizations in the world do not justify cutting down a rare 100-acre forest. Especially since it may be the last of its kind in the ever-developing Eastside.
• For a moment consider that forest are obstructions to development.
••• Do you like nature walks? Picnics under shady trees? Do you like peaceful walks with your children while pointing out butterflies, different birds or simply sitting on the ground and giving names to the overhead puffy white clouds?
••• Do you think we should have nature places, other than zoos, as homes to native animals and birds?
••• Do you think, if the Wellington site is developed; the deer, coyote, bobcats, bear, bald eagles, owls, hawks, assorted small birds and all the insects will simply pack their little suitcases and move to another forest?
••• Do you think to yourself, “Trees are just trees and if I want one I’ll go the nursery and buy one.”
Or
••• “If I want to see a forest I’ll pack the car and we’ll drive to the Cascades or Olympics.”
For over six years your neighbors have kept the Wellington Hills ex-Park as an open and natural place.
Citizen action works.
People can make a difference.
If you fear the negatives of development:
Excessive traffic, higher taxes, increase in crime, light and noise pollution…
Consider helping Neighbors to Save Wellington Park.
Every donated dollar goes to attorney fees – because that’s where the battle is – in the legal system.
When you drive 240th, we hope you take a moment and look at Wellington because, despite NSD now owning it, for over 6 years NSWP has fought to keep Wellington as you now see it.
Enjoy the view, stop and walk through it.
Then donate to NSWP.
We will prevail.
