Felling a Treasured Tree was a mistake

Thank you for printing Susan Andrew’s Nov. 2 article about Wells Fargo’s destruction of three trees at the corner of Patton and Louisiana avenues in West Asheville so that its new sign would be more conspicuous from every angle [“The Beat: Three, Two, One … Xpress].

The article correctly observed that Wells Fargo had a permit to destroy trees, so it was legal. The important question is, was it right?

That it was not right is obvious for two reasons. First, the unusual size of the oak. It was a stately tree, at least 50 feet high, towering over a corner of undistinguished retail buildings and their unremarkable foundation plantings. The oak was the tallest tree along the entire length of the Patton Avenue strip, and was visible for much farther than the sign that replaced it. If, as Wells Fargo claims, some disease was in its upper branches, a competent arborist could have removed the affected branches.

Second, the unusual variety of the oak made cutting it not right. That was no common street tree. It was a columnar English oak, also known as a Cypress oak, the only mature specimen of its species that I know of in these parts. Even the North Carolina Arboretum does not have one in its collection. For good reason, it was a Treasured Tree.

Wells Fargo made a mistake in cutting down that magnificent tree, and the city planning department made a mistake in not catching them before they made that mistake.

— Stephen Weissman
Asheville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

8 thoughts on “Felling a Treasured Tree was a mistake

  1. “The important question is, was it right?”

    The owner of the property (including the trees) determined that a sign was preferable, so, yes, it was right. The owner chose the higher value to serve his best interest.
    ……………………….

  2. Christopher C NC

    “the higher value to serve his best interest”

    Oxygen, carbon sequestration, mitigation of storm water runoff and simple beauty are of lesser value in the pursuit of money.

    Is it any wonder many people object to a completely unregulated capitalist system.

  3. Dionysis

    “The owner of the property (including the trees) determined that a sign was preferable, so, yes, it was right. The owner chose the higher value to serve his best interest.”

    Translation: Since it is axiomatic that greed is good (so sayeth the Exalted Goddess of Greed, Self-Centeredness and Screw Everyone Else, Ayn Rand), since concern for being a good corporate citizen among a larger community is passщ, and since Wells Fargo, known for laundering drug money and investing in for-profit prisons, has the СrightТ to ugly up their own property and thrust their garish sign into the public eye, then buzz off.

  4. sharpleycladd

    Adam Smith objected to a completely unregulated capitalist system. Ayn Rand objected to state welfare programs even after she began drawing benefits from them.

  5. D. Dial

    “Ayn Rand objected to state welfare programs even after she began drawing benefits from them.”

    Feet of clay.

  6. reasonable

    “…That was no common street tree. It was a columnar English oak, also known as a Cypress oak, the only mature specimen of its species that I know of in these parts. Even the North Carolina Arboretum does not have one in its collection. For good reason, it was a Treasured Tree….”

    Perhaps the “good reason” is that it is a non-native tree. It belongs in Europe, not North America. Just like starlings, house sparrows, kudzu, Africanized bees and a host host of other invasive species it should be eradicated.

Leave a Reply to sharpleycladd ×

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.