Opinion/Stead: Destruction of trees threatens Cape Cod's sense of place

Right now, we are enjoying our colorful fall season. The leaves have looked a little better this year, and some recent rain has perked up the evergreens. Our forested areas are perhaps the most fragile in the state given our unique sand bar ecology. But rather than treasuring them, we are suffering something of a holocaust of trees on Cape.

I wrote about this last July after a very noble tree in my neighborhood was eliminated. There are mainly trees on private property, and there are always special considerations needed around government control over private property. But we already have some say over historic districts and other residential preservation areas, as they are seen to be of benefit to the public. Yet it is perfectly OK to cut down ancient trees in the Old King's Highway area as long as you paint your door an appropriate color.

To be clear, this discussion is meant to concentrate on healthy trees, and to allow pruning and upkeep. Our trees and forests have far more to do with public health and habitat than is generally realized. Trees produce oxygen for all of us, homes for birds and squirrels, and filtration of water as it proceeds to our aquifer.

Much of the tree removal is to install sprinkler and fertilizer systems to create emerald Franken-lawns on top of our sand-covered rock. Out of sight, out of mind, but there would be riots in the streets if similar chemicals were used around a reservoir such as the Quabbin. It doesn't sink in that Cape Cod's reservoir is under our feet — our sole-source aquifer.

So what can we do?

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What if there was a voluntary donation program, perhaps run by the various land trusts in the towns? The Land Trusts themselves understand the importance of preserving not only larger areas but smaller areas to link them. Animals search for places to live, and if a smaller preservation area becomes too crowded the next generation needs to move on. The turkeys are pretty bold about this, but a lot of other smaller animals aren't that lucky. The pine tree they had been living in was cut down, and crossing a paved road is just as bad for them as crossing the Sagamore Bridge.

By creating a voluntary donation program, various trees could be registered with the trusts in towns that chose to participate. For example, I have three 30- or 40-foot pine trees in my side yard that are a regular college dormitory for squirrels and birds. All spring and summer they are running up and down the branches in a state of mild hysteria. If I donated those trees, there would be a restriction on cutting them down by future owners.

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This should not be absolute — if needed due to disease or storm damage, the tree could be removed with the consent of the tree warden. Fun fact, by law, every municipality in Massachusetts must have a tree warden. Sometimes it is a member of the parks department or a DPW head, and sometimes it is a bona fide arborist. But there is an entity that can be appealed to if there is a dispute, as there should be.

The health and viability of the tree are valid factors, and if it is dangerous it can be removed. If it is impeding the installation of a sprinkler system, not so much. Like other such set-asides and restrictions, it would be registered with the town and would be disclosed upon the sale or transfer of the property. There would be no responsibility by the trust for maintenance or upkeep. It would merely be the protector of the tree during the transfer process.

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Or something like that.

If we don't think about this, the look and the feel of the Cape will inexorably change. For decades, people have fretted about 'becoming another Long Island' with artificial forests behind fences and walls like exotic animals. If we let things just happen, we might not like what occurs.

Cynthia Stead is a columnist for the Cape Cod Times and can be contacted at cestead@gmail.com. 

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Trees on Cape Cod are getting cut down at an alarming pace