Meet My Yard: A River Update

Just in case you’re joining this saga-already-in-progress for the first time, here is a link to my first post about this topic.

Things have happened since then. No trees have been lost yet, thank goodness.

But I am not hopeful.

To set the scene, here’s how the river looks in the winter when it is below-freezing outside:

The other day, Mickey and I were on the front stoop having a chat when I told him of a revelation I recently had.

I’d felt like I was cosplaying as an activist by following up on phone calls and letters that we’ve received regarding this drainage project, making little flyers to invite my neighbors to meetings, and writing long, impassioned emails to my elected officials up to and including Gretchen Whitmer.

But then, as I was listening to a message from a lawyer working on this project, I realized that I wasn’t cosplaying.

I am being an actual activist.

The way my brain works, no matter what I’m doing, I feel like I’m cosplaying at it. I’m working on it, but it’s one of the most challenging things for my brain to let go of. I’m a real person doing real things that are effecting real change. Accept it already, brain!

So, the meeting with the representative did not go well. A couple of my neighbors also showed up, and we asked them all the same questions we asked the first fella who came about a year ago.

Here are some of the questions we asked:

• What criteria will be used to determine what is a healthy vs. unhealthy tree?
• Will this tree come down as part of the project?
• Where will the cutting end?
• Do you think we will lose this tree as part of the project?
• So, you are saying the cutting will begin 6 or 12 feel from the riverbank, where exactly is that located?
• Will this tree stay?
• Do you understand that if we chop down all the trees, we will lose the root system that is currently holding the riverbank up?
• Will we lose this tree?
• How will erosion on the riverbank be prevented once we lose all our tree roots?
• See that tree with that massive collection of roots at its base? See how far they go out? Will that tree stay?
• What happens when our garage falls into the river as a result of this clear-cutting?
• This tree?
• What about our neighbors whose homes are closer to the riverbank than ours? What happens when the riverbank is compromised enough their houses start sliding on in?
• What is being done for the wildlife that lives in and on the river? We have just started to see minks for the first time in years!
• Is this tree gonna be cut down?
• Have you considered anything other than clear-cutting, as we’ve seen along the riverbank where the project has already been completed?
• What about this tree?
• Could you provide me with the survey you are using to determine where the cutting begins?

Here are some of the answers we received:

• I don’t know.
• Yes.
• 6 or 12 feet from the riverbank.
• Yes.
• I don’t know.
• No.
• **blank stare**
• Yes.
• I don’t know.
• No.
• I don’t know.
• Gone.
• I don’t know.
• Nothing.
• Yes.
• “All work, including tree removal, is being done in an environmentally responsible manner and by professional contractors.” (this is a standard line that they have thrown out quite a bit)
• Gone.
• I don’t know.

You get the picture. Then, as I was talking to the representative of this project, I found out that they were contractors who have hired OTHER contractors to do the actual work. It’s just layers and layers of nonsense.

I just want to keep my trees.

I just want to keep our riverbank intact.

I just want to keep seeing all my animal friends.

So I wrote an email and sent it out to a fuck ton of my elected officials and the team overseeing the project.

A few weeks later, I received a phone call from a lawyer working on the project. Since then, we have played phone tag. In each message I left, I made it clear that I was autistic and would prefer to communicate via email so that I could better process the information.

Then, on Friday, I received an email from the project team.

At first, I was excited because, you know, progress.

Then I read the email and was sad because it said almost the exact same thing that we had been told over and over again. The language was quite similar, if not exact, to all the letters we’ve been given about this project.

They did address my concern about the survey, kind of – here’s the line from the email:

You previously mentioned that you would like to review records. If you would still like to inspect documents, please let us know so that we can coordinate a time with you to do so.

I really felt defeated. Then yesterday, I got myself into the right brain for getting shit done, and I wrote an email.

I will share it with you here because I think I knocked it pretty far out of the park.

Thank you for your response. I appreciate the opportunity to clarify my concerns in writing.

While I understand that all work is being conducted by professionals, I am still concerned about the lack of transparency regarding the tree removal process. Specifically, I would like to understand the criteria used to identify trees for removal.

A critical factor in maintaining a healthy riverbank is the root structure of trees lining the waterway. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), “[Healthy] riparian vegetation reduces erosion by holding soil in place with their roots.”  Tree removal can significantly increase erosion rates, potentially leading to property loss and impacting wildlife habitats.

My observations of the current work on the river seem to contradict the goal of environmental responsibility. Complete deforestation of the riverbank seems excessive and ecologically detrimental.

The rationale of removing trees to prevent them from falling in the future is not ecologically sound. Mature trees with healthy root systems are naturally resistant to wind and weather events. Furthermore, removing trees eliminates the natural filtering process that removes pollutants from stormwater runoff entering the creek.

In addition to the ecological concerns, I am particularly worried about the potential impact on my property. The lack of clarity regarding the surveying process and the proposed buffer zone is concerning. Uncertainties around the 6-foot vs. 12-foot buffer zone from the riverbank raise significant questions about the potential loss of property, including my garage.

I am hopeful that we can find a solution that balances the need for waterway maintenance with the preservation of the natural environment and the protection of our properties.

I would be grateful for the opportunity to review the land survey and discuss the tree removal criteria in more detail. Additionally, I would be interested in learning about any alternative solutions that incorporate bioengineering techniques that utilize vegetation to stabilize the riverbank.

In summary, I am requesting the following:

• Clear and transparent information on the criteria used to determine which trees will be removed.
• A definitive delineation of the work area, including the exact buffer zone from the riverbank.
• Information on alternative solutions that prioritize the preservation of the existing tree canopy.
• The opportunity to review the land survey and project plans in detail.

I look forward to your prompt response and the opportunity to discuss these concerns further.

So, we’ll see what happens next.

Oh, before I get out of here, let me tell you the most ridiculous answer I got during the meeting.

I asked something like, “Could you explain to me the rationale of removing all of the trees from the riverbank, instead of only the dead ones?”

HERE IS WHAT THEY SAID I SHIT YOU NOT:

“Well, there is a chance they might fall one day in the future.”

No shit, bud. That’s called letting anxiety run your life.

There is also a chance that I might get hit by a car one day, but I don’t stay in the house 24/7 to ensure that I don’t.

I stay in the house 24/7 because the general public mostly annoys me.

okbye.