Emergency-Save the Trees!

Dear fellow birders and tree admirers: 

I’m asking for your help on behalf of our beloved trees at the Asheville “Muni” Golf Course. The City of Asheville recently released a plan to cut down 157 trees, the majority of which are mature canopy trees (oaks and pines) that have stood tall for decades. I’ve seen countless warblers and other migrants feeding in these trees over many years. These trees are on City property, so all of us in Asheville, and in Buncombe County, have a say in what happens next. 

The previous golf course operator, Pope Golf, did a very poor job maintaining the course and its grass. The new company, Commonwealth Golf Partners, wants to look good fast with quick-fix solutions to re-grow grass by cutting many more trees than necessary. The golf course’s grass looked great just a few short years ago — underneath those same large shade trees!

Tree cutting is scheduled to start as early as January, so let’s ask the City to come up with a tree plan that emphasizes tree trimming over tree cutting.

The tree plan will be presented at this Tuesday’s meeting of the City of Asheville Urban Forest Commission. Please consider emailing the City using the email addresses and template provided below. To have the greatest impact, emailed comments need to be received by 5pm this Monday (Dec 5).

Reach out to me, Nancy Casey, former president of Blue Ridge Audubon, via email, Nancywcasey@gmail.com phone or text me with questions: 301-820-5420. More detailed information and photos can be found here. Together we can help save these trees! Thank you very much. And please forward this on to all of your concerned friends and neighbors!

→ To send your own email to City officials, simply copy/paste these 4 addresses, the subject line, and the text written below. ←

TO:  

UFCDec2022@PublicInput.com, 

A2758@PublicInput.com,

esthermanheimer@avlcouncil.com, 

AshevilleNCCouncil@ashevillenc.gov

SUBJECT LINE:   

Please reject the current plan to cut 157 trees down at Asheville’s golf course

BODY OF EMAIL:

Dear Mayor, City Council, and Urban Forestry Commissioners, 

I am writing to urge you to reject the current plan to cut down 157 trees at Asheville’s “Muni” Golf Course and amend the plan to preserve as many trees as possible.

The previous golf course operator, Pope Golf, did a very poor job maintaining the course and its grass. The new company, Commonwealth Golf Partners, wants to look good fast with quick-fix solutions to re-grow grass by cutting many more trees than necessary. The golf course’s grass looked great just a few short years ago — underneath those same large shade trees.

The great majority on the cut list are mature canopy trees — oaks and pines — that have stood tall for decades. This massive tree cutting plan seems to contradict the City’s commitment to its Zero-Net Loss Urban Tree Canopy Policy.

I urge you to advocate for a more thoughtful long-term plan — one that preserves the majority of these precious trees and emphasizes trimming over cutting — while improving our historical golf course.

Sincerely, 

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