Urgent Redwood Update: Town Hall Meeting this Thursday

First of all, thank you so much for signing the Save Arlington Redwood petition. We have collected nearly 300 signatures so far, which is quite amazing given that we had limited time and began with a short distribution list. Here are some additional actions that you can take to save this gorgeous tree: 1. If you are able, please attend the Arlington Conservation Commission meeting being held this Thursday, June 16th at Annex Town Hall (parking on Academy Street), 2nd Floor Conference Room. The meeting begins at 7:30 and the Magnolia Playground renovation project hearing is on the agenda for 8:30 pm. The goal of the meeting is for the Park and Recreation Division to submit its permit and for the public to ask questions and give their input. We encourage you to get to the meeting as early as possible. 2. If you would like to express your opinions directly to the Town, please email jenjenroth@rcn.com (Jen Roth @ Park & Recreation Commission) and cbeckwith@town.arlington.ma.us (Cori Beckwith @ Conservation Commission). You should do this whether or not you will be attending the meeting. All comments are being forwarded to the commission members by Cori. 3. We are looking for a sympathetic botanist who is able to speak expertly to the benefits of keeping this healthy and mature tree as to the following factors that the Commission will consider: flood control, storm damage prevention, pollution abatement, wildlife protection, aesthetic value, and recreation. If you know of anyone please forward his/her contact info to arlingtonredwood@gmail.com. Please note that we are preparing statements ourselves to be made at the hearing. Below is a general outline: We are in full support of the Magnolia Playground renovation project in all regards except for the proposed removal of the dawn redwood. We are in full support of providing for additional garden plots -- so long as the dawn redwood stays. The Town should consider adding plots elsewhere in the park or starting a new community garden in another location (there are only two community gardens in the entire Town -- Magnolia and Robbins). Dawn redwoods (metasequoia glyptostroboides) were once thought to be extinct until discovered in China in 1941. Through the herculean efforts of Harvard University/Arnold Arboretum, the seeds were brought to Jamaica Plain and distributed throughout the world. (see http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/issues/189.pdf) Dawn redwoods are considered "living fossils." It is listed as "endangered" on the International Union of Conservation of Nature's Red List, considered the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. Endangered classification means that the dawn redwoods are "facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild." (http://www.iucnredlist.org/search -- search for "metasquoia") A mature, healthy, majestically beautiful tree such as this should not be destroyed unless the benefit of doing so would greatly outweigh the cost of leaving the tree in its place. Casting shade on a number of garden plots for three or so months of the New England growing season cannot justify chopping down a heritage tree such as this. Thank you all again for caring and speaking out! Sincerely in Appreciation, Save Arlington Redwood (David Loh, Sandra Miller, Rick Bird and Dora Horvath)