Was I Wrong about the Trees at Park Lane?

I'm having a moral dilemma, and I need your help answering the question above.

Since I posted my last blog (Man-Made Tornado To Come Through Birmingham), I've been on a whirlwind of conversations, meetings, and even an interview with Fox 6 News.

I guess I stirred some things up -- it turns out that people actually do care about trees -- and they care about how this development is going to affect the community.

But I need to confess: There are some things I left out of that blog.  And there are some things I have learned since.  

To begin, I knew good and well that some of these old and beautiful trees on Park Lane property were not in the best condition.  

magnolia at the mercy of a power line on its right side = why it's important to plant the right tree in the right place!

this one needs some love

After all, they are old.  My grandparents aren't in tip-top shape either.  You know?

The problem is this:  in an urban environment, trees may have to be eliminated if they pose a risk to people.   This is proper practice and very much a part of urban tree care.  (And a great reason to take care of your trees when they are young.)

Also, I was fully aware that, as part of the development, they are intending to fix the stormwater drainage issue here.  Park Lane is deemed a flood zone.  Therefore, they are planning to raise the grade a couple of feet in order to tend to this problem.  In order to raise the grade, one must, well, start over.   Tree trunks buried under two feet of new soil just won’t do.  The tree will die. 

So, while we may want to say Cutting Down Trees & Development is bad, bad, bad, it's just not that simple.

In fact, a lot of folks think that Lane Parke is a really good idea – loss of “green” or not. 

Fred Spicer, the Executive Director of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, was kind enough to speak with me.  The Gardens are directly across the street from Park Lane Apartments. Luckily, the developers have included him on some of the decision-making, and Fred had a lot of information to impart.  

one of my favorite trees at the BBG -- a gorgeous Ginkgo -- stunning yellow color in the fall

pretty roses at the Birmingham Botanical Garden

Fred says, “Lane Parke has the potential to benefit the Gardens and the community in terms of visitorship, connectivity, and tourism,” while taking care of some stormwater run-off problems in the Gardens and at the Park Lane site.  

He also believes that the traffic issues in Mountain Brook Village could possibly be cleared up as a result of this development.

After hearing his reasons and taking some time to consider, I agree with him.  Lane Parke has the potential -- if it's done right.

But if it isn't, then what we are left with are a bunch of knocked-over trees and bulldozed historical buildings.  

I’m talking about Smart Growth.  And I’m not referring to trees.  Smart growth is a popular term in modern urban planning, and I see it as a necessity given the rate at which “development” is taking down trees and putting up buildings -- buildings that sometimes end up empty after a few short years. 

The way I see it, ALL growth needs to be smart…

…especially in the heart of Tree City USA.

I reiterate:  I see the potential in a new and improved Mountain Brook Village, including functioning walking paths that connect the village to the Gardens to the Zoo to Jemison Trail to the YMCA, including large shade trees IN the parking lots, including bike lanes and bike racks, and picnic areas, with cans for recycling, please.  

currently in Western parking lot;  not best functioning

Mountain Brook Village would be a great place for people to come spend the day -- shop, eat, visit the zoo, visit the gardens, enjoy the wooded Jemison Trail.  Park their cars, walk, ride their bikes, and be.  It truly would be community-building.  (Right now, it's just hot and traffic-y.)

In fact, studies show that pedestrian-friendly areas profit more.  Why?  Because people are moving slower, enjoying themselves, browsing -- and buying.  

Now, with all my questioning and conversing, one thing that I have found:  there is conflicting information in regards to this development.  Add to it the fact that Park Lane is in Mountain Brook boundaries, but Park Lane Road is part of Birmingham, things really get tricky.

Not to mention the newspapers (the primary source of information a few short years ago) are shutting down left and right, and emails, blogs, Facebook, and smaller publications are doing their best to take their place.

“What we have here is a failure to communicate.” In the Age of Communication, no less.

I know that it's not exactly in Lane Parke's marketing plan to shout out that over 200 trees are being cut down to do it, but think of the shock and sadness of the residents as they drive down Park Lane Road when those trees are gone!

in front of the apartments along Park Lane Road -- this one is in good shape!

 So.  I wrote that blog to inform all of you.  

That's all.  It wasn't really my job to tell you.  I did it anyway.

And you responded.  In a big way.  After all, trees are our lifeline.  I think perhaps on a subconscious level, we're all getting a tiny bit alarmed at the rapid loss of all these beautiful beings.  Rightfully so.   And at what cost?

mature liquidambar on Park Lane site

 At the end of all these musings, all I can say is that what I have found is that this development has a lot of moving parts, and there is no simple answer.   Was I wrong about the trees?

Well.  They are still alive.  They are still giving.  Life-giving.  So no, I don't think I was "wrong."

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Then again, what if Lane Parke became a model for green, sustainable, forward-thinking developments everywhere?  What if the new landscaping plan was gorgeous and we could have that canopy back, healthier and better within the next twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years?  What if people not only came from all over the South but the nation to witness Alabama’s smart growth in action?   (Wait.  Alabama?  Smart growth?  In the same sentence?  Now that's press.)

In that case, I think the trees here would gladly sacrifice themselves.  (Although in my heart or hearts, it still makes me sad.)  And if we could save a few more some how for the short and long term, all the better.

So many people have said, "Oh, Katie, the Lane Parke development is done.  It’s happening.”

No.  Nothing is “done” until the first tree is cut.  Moving parts or not.

In fact, word has it that they are still waiting on some things from the Cities of Birmingham and Mountain Brook as far as approvals.

So it's not "done." There is still time.  But not much.  Park Lane Apartments will be officially tenant-free this Sunday.  So take action immediately! 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1.  Letters to the Mayor of Birmingham, Mayor of Mountain Brook, and City Council members.  

     A. Express your concern for the Lane Parke development, and that you insist it be sustainable and an example of smart growth – in every way!  And until that plan is up to par, the trees and buildings should still stand.   Attend city council meetings --- this project has been delayed dozens of times so far.  Your voice counts!

    ***B.  TREE ORDINANCE – In many cities, there are strict regulations on killing a tree, even when on private property.  Write your Mayor, and insist that a smart tree ordinance be put into place as soon as possible.  (i.e. there is one sitting on the desk of the Mayor of Birmingham – let’s get it moving!)***    

          CONTACT:

          A.  Mountain Brook, Mayor Oden: lastvalhalla@aol.com

          B. Birmingham City Hall -- Third Floor

          Office of City Council (and/or Office of Mayor)

          710 North 20th Street

          Birmingham, AL 35203

          (205) 254-2000

         

2.  Become a member of the Birmingham Botanical Garden.  This is an amazing resource.  Not only is it gorgeous, they offer great educational opportunities to the public, including the children of under-served areas.   They depend on our funding!

3.  Educate yourself.  Our planet needs all the voices it can get.  The more you know, the stronger your voice.  Read, discuss, and attend your local classes.  Smart growth, urban planning, sustainable living, tree care, are all good key words to put into Google.  

4.  Get to know a tree.  Climb one.  Sit under one.  Observe one.  We, as a culture, have lost our connection to these great beings.  Reclaim it.  And encourage your children to as well.  AND OF COURSE!  Plant at least one tree before you die.  The right tree in the right place please.

To conclude, I'm going to pass on a quote a friend sent me this week.  It struck a resounding chord.

"God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods.  But He cannot save them from fools."     -- John Muir

Why Would Anyone Give Up Their Car?

As the Kickstarter campaign wraps up today (success!), I thought I'd share my most "thoughtful" blog from the 80 Day experiment of going car-less (and with zero carbon emissions) in Los Angeles.  Enjoy, and thanks for the read.
An Essay on Our World -- Day 71

I have loved letting this movie evolve on its own. With very little pre-production, we kind of had to be at the mercy of That Something Way Bigger Than All of Us. Although the lack of planning has been a pain in our hinnies in a lot of ways, it has also given us a rare experience of just letting things happen...letting people, events, situations come to us. We've had the camera for most of it, and for that, I am grateful.

One of my favorite aspects of being a part of Carless in L.A. has been to observe certain themes as they surface in day-to-day life, in interviews, in the speeches that I've attended.

So, I'm going to take this time to comment on those themes, if y'all will bear with me.

****One of the reasons I embarked on this pilgrimage was as a result of my belief in the power of each of our individual choices. After all, it was someone's choice to take an idea and create it into a machine that would allow us to get from one place to another in a relatively short amount of time. And it was someone's choice to say, "Hey, that's a good idea!" and then buy it and drive it. And someone's choice to see it and say, "Damn, I want one too." And so on. And so on...

I interviewed a psychologist from UCLA the other day. Dr. Timothy Fong. He is an expert in addiction. He, in short, defines addiction as an action or behavior that one engages in successively that causes more havoc than pleasure, after it's all said and done. In other words, an addiction is not an addiction until the problems outweigh the good stuff. So a person can use cocaine, but if it's not wrecking his or her life, it technically isn't an addiction. 

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I, of course, was exploring the notion of "autoholics" with Dr. Fong. Are we, as Americans, addicted to our cars? I mean, can a whole society have an addiction? Perhaps we are modern-day Lotus-eaters, having mass-consciously indulged in the so-called conveniences of this machine called the car, and it has caused us to forget. And because we are ALL consuming this convenient little leaf, how would we be able to determine whether it was healthy for us or not?

No one can understand my gratitude for the automobile after this 71 days of zero carbon emissions. I glorify in every carpool ride that happens to being going my way. I adore all the things I somewhat took for granted: the private stereo system, the bucket seats, the intimacy of a private conversation, the ability to turn on whatever road calls the whim; I even adore the seatbelt and the cupholders, and the fact that there is room for my bike, my bag, and my backpack, and me.

Plus, there's the fact that certain cars, when you sit in them, give you a certain feeling... I'm talking about luxury here. I'm talking about feeling sexy. A new convertible Mini Cooper can do that. Much more than a bus can, believe me. Especially while driving down Pacific Coast Highway 1 on one of those L.A. blue sky, impossible-sun days...with India Arie playing loud and a good friend to share it all with.

Yet, I of course am even more keen on the problems that cars cause. I've been educated. In these 10-plus weeks, I have witnessed friends as they complain about traffic, parking tickets, parking meters, and other drivers on the road. People don't complain about gas as much...the cost is much less than it was in the spring, so I suppose it's all relative. I've seen friends' cars breakdown, have to go to the shop, and loose front bumpers. And then the complications of having to find a parking spot! Time-consuming. Gas-consuming. Oil-consuming. Good-mood-consuming.

One's luck these days is determined by one's abilities to find Doris Day parking, as a friend called it. Right there, right in front. That is a great feeling.

But on a bike, one's parking spot is always Doris Day's.

Here's the thing:

Can an individual think in terms of what is best for society? Enrique Penalosa determines that no, an individual does not have this ability. He was the mayor of Bogota, Columbia during a time when Bogota was crumbling under political, social, and environmental stress. He made laws that limited use of cars, and the city improved. He was a city official, and his job was to think in terms of what is best for the city as a whole.

Therefore, he believes that it is the duty of the government to think for the people...tell them what is best for all...because, left up the masses on an individual basis, they will fail.

He disclosed these philosophies in his lecture and in our interview. I was quick to challenge him on this.

To paraphrase: "But, Senor Penalosa, Americans love their freedom. If we start to limit their choices..."

My darlings. I am rebel at heart. I am. We all are. Our country, in a way, was founded on the rebellion of a few, particular individuals. We have built a rich and thriving democracy on the notion of freedom--liberty and justice for all! But has this freedom of choice gotten us in an less-than-free position, and we're not even aware?!

One car is not a problem. Ten cars are not a problem. We, as individuals, can no longer afford to look at ourselves this way though. When ice caps are melting, and poor animals are dying, and our beaches are covered in trash, and asthma is on the rise...

And children don't know what it is like to be in a grove of trees, because they have never seen a grove of trees, because parking lots have taken their place...

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And Alaskan wildernesses that our forefathers set up for generations beyond are now being drilled into because of a dependency on this stuff called oil...

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And people are afraid of each other because they don't have to be in the vicinity of others from different classes, races, socio-economic backgrounds...

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And all of our unique cities start looking eerily the same due to the cookie cutter strip malls that one can only get to in, you guessed it, a car...

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And people are depriving themselves of pecan pie at Christmas because of the fact that they are overweight (and don't know why!)...

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My question is this: Will our species evolve? Here's our big chance, people. We can actually start now. We can actually look at our consumer selves and say, "Okay, let's see? Are my individual actions for the greater good?"

Because you know what. Kids are smart. Do we really want the embarrassment of being the most selfish generation that ever was? Or perhaps, our selfishness is the result of the selfishness of many generations...including the generation that so violently killed or kicked the Native Americans off the land that they praised and respected and understood...

From the Gayaneshakgowa, the Great Law of Peace of the Hau de no sau nee, the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy... "in our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." 

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Seven generations.

I'm not sure we even think of the next one. Precious as they are. I'm not sure we even consider our own!

I hope we can prove Senor Penalosa wrong. That Americans don't have to rely on our politicians to make our choices for us... (Can someone say "scary," and I think y'all know what I'm talking about.)

This all being said, I need to impress upon you the following...

Extremes don't work. This experiment has been a complete extreme, moreso that I had foreseen. The result has been a strange sort of backlash, where I cannot wait until the 80th day at midnight where I will more than likely get in a vehicle, behind the wheel, and take to the highway and drive as far as that baby will go. Out to the desert maybe. Or down to Baja. Or maybe to the moon.

I will probably be criticized if I do that. Go guzzle lots of gas once I'm done. It's like a diet, where the person has deprived themselves of goodies for too long, so that they gobble up two tubs of Ben & Jerry's simply because they can.

When the pendulum swings one way, it goes back the other.

I will try not to drive to the moon, but I will drive when I want and need to. And I will not feel guilty...

Guilt serves nothing. Being hard on oneselves or others because they are harming the environment or whatever else serves nothing!

The other thing I have learned: I can't force anyone to do anything. It is exhausting to even think about trying to talk someone into taking public transportation with me. I mean, I'd be happy if they did, but again, if someone doesn't want to do something, if they didn't make the choice themselves, then the action is watered down and futile.

I had a goal at the beginning on the film on Day 1 when one of my good friends here in L.A. said, "Katie, you know I would not get on a bus. It's not my world."

Oh, how I wanted to prove her wrong! How I wanted to get her on the bus, just to say I had gotten her on a bus.

Would it have made her start taking public transportation all the time? Highly doubt it. Would she have realized it was not so bad? Probably.

The point is, it's not my place to be responsible for the actions of others, whether it be that friend., Paris Hilton, or my next-door neighbor.

It is my place to be responsible for myself...and speak up when I see a need.

I decided to drop the goal of getting that friend on the bus. Shifts in consciousness do not come in a day, or in a word, or by convincing someone to ride a damn bus. It is possible for it to happen that way, sure. But it is not my duty to TRY to shift consciousness. But I can allow consciousness to shift, beginning with my own.

I am lucky. I have had the amazing experience of undergoing a true shift in consciousness. I made a choice, and it yielded results. And as a response to my friend who says the bus isn't her world, I say this...

Put the Lotus down, now, sister. And start remembering...

Is "home" really behind your windshield or in your neat little apartment or at your cocktail parties? Because you're right. It's not your world.

It's all of ours.

We're in this together, dear hearts. Let's rejoice in that! It's all of ours, and what a rich and lovely species we are...

I'm so happy we're waking up.

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Birmingham Bike Treasures & Ava's First Ride

So I bought a bike!  If you are looking for a used in Birmingham, call me, because I have got your hook-up!  This guy's basement is a treasure chest of bicycles -- road bikes, mountain bikes, cruisers, and some antiques that had me drooling -- which is why he prefers to remain anonymous.  Some of these babies are worth money!  I went over there, in the rain, last week, thinking (grumbling), "This guy better have something."  Boy, was I surprised, if not shocked, and pleasantly so.

look at this beauty - in the works

just a few in one tiny section of the basement

this bike comes up to my thighs -- built for a four-year-old -- in my guy's words: "The French start them early"

"These should be in a museum!" I said, turning around once again to see another twenty or so bikes in yet another corner of the basement, and amazed by all of them.

I asked him if he wanted to have a show.  He said, yes, he wants to have a show.  (...to be continued?...)

I really wanted the baby blue vintage Schwinn, but I went for the Specialized mountain bike in a fit of practicality over style.  If I still lived in Venice Beach, the Schwinn would be mine!

Anyway, what I set off to write about was the Ride of Silence that I attended Wednesday night.

What a lovely idea.  All over the country, groups of cyclists rode in unison, taking over the streets of their towns and cities, to honor the people who have been killed while riding a bike on the road.  It's a demonstration that whispers, "Share the road, please."  No one speaks, and the ride is supposed to be slow.

Not slow enough for me!

Here's what happened:

So I got my bike, right?  And I have a two-year-old little girl, Ava.  And I've always thought how fun it will be to ride her around on the bike.  After minimal research, I decided to go with the old seat-attached-to-back-of-bike, like my parents used back in the 70s.

I've been very disorganized this week -- things have been happily out of control since the Kickstarter campaign met its goal (Thank You!), so of course, at 4 PM, I'm still without a seat for the bike, and I had really been looking forward to this group ride.  The group was meeting at 6:30 in Homewood.  (Oh, did I tell you that there was to be a police escort and everything?  Love!  We get to take over the streets legally this way!)

Just as I was about to give up, I called my new friend, Stan, who is a cyclist (and arborist) in town.  As I knew he would, he came up with a plan, "Get in the car with the baby, go buy the seat, bring it back to your house, I'll help you put it on, then I'm going to my 5:30 ride that I have scheduled, then I'll see you at the Ride of Silence."

Without hesitation, Ava and I sped off to the Bob's Bikes, where I knew they had a seat.

I drove up to see Stan pulling up to my place, on his bike no less.  He was out of breath.  He must have pedaled hard.  He was meeting a group to cycle before the Ride of Silence so he had about twenty minutes to help me.

So he is putting the seat on (after a slight hiccup because he discovered that I own very few tools -- good thing my neighbor walked up at the right time!), when I realized that I have a helmet for myself, but not for Ava.

Granted, this is our first ride on my new bike, with Ava on the back.  25 lbs extra.  No big deal, right?

Yeah.  Not stable.  And I was about to ride on roads with no bike lanes.  It was a relatively short ride to my destination, but...

I went on anyway.  After all, after LA, I can handle Birmingham, right?

I lasted five minutes.  I just hated that my child did not have a helmet on!  I called the bike shop, Cahaba Cycles, where the group was meeting.  "Do y'all have toddler helmets and will you be open in ten minutes?"

The answer was yes.  So carefully, very carefully, I meandered over a busier street then through a sleepy neighborhood route.  A car whizzed by me, just as another cyclist was passing me as well.  He, in a very protective manner (gotta love the South) yelled at the driver, "SLOW DOWN!"

I had a few other "protective" moments.  At the major light, a young man in a huge truck, who was also waiting on the light, motioned to me to go ahead when it turned green.  Then, he sort of escorted me across Highway 31.  So cute!

A couple of minutes later, in Homewood, the car behind me basically stopped mid-street to simply let me go where I needed to go, which was the left-hand turn lane.  Yay!

Southern gentlemen, thank you for the courtesy.  You have no idea what it means to a lady sometimes.

(Of course, these men could've just thought I was completely nuts to be on my bike with a child on the back in a town with few bike lanes, but hey, I thought I'd give credit where credit is due.)

Got to the store, bought the helmet, and dozens upon dozens of folks had shown up (in full gear and mostly on road bikes I might add) for the Ride of Silence.  It was a lovely sight.

Of course, Ava was the only two-year-old.  In fact, I think I spotted about two children total, including mine.

But I prevailed.  We set out towards the back of the group, the blue police lights leading the way.  Silence.  Except for Ava going, "Weeeeee!  Weeeee!" (Yes, just like that pig in the commercial.)  So much for silence when we're around.

Sure enough, about ten minutes into the ride, we fell way behind on a big hill.  Too far behind.  A behind that even the cops weren't comfortable with, because they told me I needed to catch up, which, considering my circumstances, was not going to happen.

I merrily stopped, turned around, and rode home, this time more confident, and glad I made the right decision not to push it, with a baby on the back.

We stopped at the park, because Ava asked me too, and I tell you what, riding through the slow-paced neighborhoods of Homewood and Mountain Brook, the cool air on the my skin, the day calmly slipping away as I pedaled on --- yes, this is what I have been missing.  Just being outside, and breathing.  

"Cat, Mommy, meow."  Ava said.   And then, "I love bikes."  And then she went into a chorus of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.

"I do too, sweetie.  I do, too."