Barton Springs trees granted new life

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City of Austin's Parks director says the city will wait for public comment Monday night before cutting down any trees around Barton Springs pool and Zilker Park.

Austin Parks and Recreation Director Sara Hensley said she will wait at least 30 days for public comment before starting work on any trees.

The city's parks and recreation board, along with the environmental board will hear more about a plan to cut down 30 trees around the park because they pose a "high-risk" to the community, according to a recent $50,000 survey.

Austin's Parks and Recreation Department officials last Wednesday announced the need to remove the trees at a press conference right in front of Barton Springs Pool.

The trees may look healthy on the outside, but many might have soil, foliage and root problems on the inside, according to Parks and Recreation Director Sara Hensley.

"Some of these trees are in dire straits," said Hensley. "You can't replace people. But you can replace trees."

The city has heard from various groups by email and phone call, according to Victor Ovalle, spokesman for the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

"While we recognize the City must maintain public safety at Barton Springs, these trees have lived for decades, and some for centuries, without hurting anyone," said an email sent out by the Save Our Springs Alliance. "There is no "tree emergency" that would warrant short-circuiting a public review process in which City staff is actually open to considering other options."

"We believe the City should seek second and third opinions before taking irreversible action," said the SOS Alliance. "There's not a tree emergency here."

Politicians weighed in as well. "Nobody wants to remove a single tree from Barton Springs Pool unless it is abundantly clear that there is no other viable option to ensure the public’s safety," said Lee Leffingwell on his blog Thursday. "I do not believe that ANY trees should be removed from Barton Springs Pool until every interested party has had a chance to understand the details of the analysis that's been done and the proposal that's been made, and to give their input."

A recent city memo said the city paid the Davey Resource Group to conduct a thorough assessment of 46 trees around Zilker Park. The analysis included looking at foliage, soil and roots, as well as using radar imaging to determine the internal wood structure, at a cost of $50,000, according to city staff.

Field work began in November 2008 and wrapped up in January 2009, with a final recommendation in March 2009, the memo said.

The assessment of many of the trees around Zilker started after an accident last August, when a tree limb crushed David Saverse, 29, after he was walking across the park to use the restrooms at Barton Springs Pool . Witnesses said the pecan tree limb crashed to the ground without warning.

Austin Parks and Recreation Director Sara Hensley said last week her staff determined the 28 trees with a "high-risk" rating should be removed immediately or have a 60-foot perimeter placed around the affected tree. Two more would be removed in a slower time period, she said. Hensley's staff is recommending immediate removal since Barton Springs Pool and Zilker Park are such highly trafficked areas. In all, the assessment and removal work will cost $250,000.

"We wanted to make sure we did this right," said Hensley. "We wanted to make sure we didn't come out here and start trimming up stuff and people go, 'What are you doing?'"

Hensley also said the city will replace the trees with trees that "...are as large and mature as feasible," including pecans and oaks in October 2009, when planting season begins.