Group disputes tree removal
BUTLER TWP — Some residents and visitors said they have seen too many logs leaving Preston Park while it was closed over the winter to remove storm-damaged trees.
Mickey Fazzino, a resident and leader of the United to Preserve Preston Park Facebook page, said there have been questionable decisions made regarding work in the conservation areas that go against Jane Preston's memorandum.
“My concern and the group's concern is in the memorandum,” Fazzino said.
The memorandum and list of advisory board members is on the Preston Park website.
Fazzino said the memorandum specifically states that the designated conservation areas should remain untouched, but some trees were cut down and one pond was filled in.
Cheryl McNeill, township assistant manager, said work in Preston Park has not disregarded the memorandum, and Bob Schott, a friend of the Prestons before their passing and the lawyer who wrote Jane's memorandum, is consistently consulted on park matters, including the forest management.
Since 2011, the township has consulted at least 11 different experts, including botanists, horticulturalists and foresters. Around half of these experts came from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
McNeill said Bob Carlberg, a township resident and certified forester, presented an 8- to 10-year plan to the commissioners in late 2017.
Later that year, township supervisors approved the plans, which involved offsetting costs of culling dead trees by harvesting healthy trees already recommended by experts to help foster growth in the forest. The selected trees were denoted with a pink ribbon for the past 1½ years.
“They looked at trying to make some money off the trees that needed to be taken out,” McNeill said.
Then the storm struck, taking down trees that were marked and unmarked, healthy and unhealthy.
“That ice storm was indiscriminate,” McNeill said.
Carlberg said the goal after the storm was to limit the number of disturbances in the forest, which meant taking out pink-ribbon trees and storm-stricken trees all at once. He said many of healthy-looking and salvageable trees harvested had suffered some crippling damage.
“The first tree we took was a beautiful red oak with half the crown missing,” Carlberg said. “Solid material and solid lumber will come out of the tree, but that doesn't mean it was a healthy tree.”
Carlberg said he is offering guided tours on which he would explain reasons for selection. The park reopened Tuesday.
Tom Knights, township manager, said salvaging some of the trees and selling them allows the park to be self sufficient and keep the forest's health moving forward. He said the lumber has not sold yet, but he will have invoices that show the profit from the salvaged trees. He said costs accrued from services to take the trees down will come from the sales. “We end up with the remainder,” Knights said.
Any proceeds would be put back into the park, according to Knights.
Dave Zarnick, Butler Township commissioner, said he trusts Carlberg's advise and thanks him for the support. “Everybody looks at a tree and says 'Oh, that's healthy.' That's not always the case. That's why we have professionals,” Zarnick said.
Zarnick said trees had been marked for years, and it wasn't an issue. He said people got involved late in the process and jumped to conclusions without context.
He said he and the township want people involved in the park, but they'd have to put in the time and effort like any other volunteer.
“I would tell them and invite them to our public meetings,” Zarnick said. “Don't stand on the sidelines. Step forward. Volunteer. Help at our parks.”
Fazzino said the township had halted his group's volunteer efforts in the past due to safety concerns, but he has been working more closely with township officials. He said he has organized a volunteer effort on Saturday to help with cleanup.
“That's a step in the right direction,” Fazzino said.
