Regarding the slaughter of the willow trees at the East Lagoon: Contrary to official statements, the vast majority of the now-dead trees appeared healthy and well-formed. How can this kind of wholesale plunder have been allowed?

The claim that these old trees were a liability is difficult to swallow. Surely there is not a plan afoot to remove all the old trees on campus.

Why were these trees singled out? Were there no alternatives to the mass destruction of these fine trees, so conspicuously located at the entrance to campus?

The further argument that old trees like these require special pruning is a very scary kind of rationale, indeed.

This is the same kind of “new is better” thinking that allowed the removal of some lovely, very old evergreens in the Wirtz Quadrangle. What is next? Aluminum siding for Altgeld?

One looks in vain for an ulterior motive for this act. Is there a secret plan to widen Lincoln Highway, lay a sewer line, drill for oil?

I’m sure the landscape architects are well-intentioned, but they seem to have a very limited view of nature.

We need to try to preserve our valuable, old and (sometimes) oddly-shaped specimens, and balance them with new planting where appropriate.

Don’t completely devastate an entire stand of beautiful, historic and very unusual trees in order to sprinkle in the kind of planting that can be found on any suburban street.

Lee Strawn

Associate Professor

Music