While some trees can be saved, officials said at the latest meeting, the historic walls along the river cannot be moved, frustrating environmentalists.
City employees clap wooden blocks together to deter birds from nesting in trees in Brackenridge Park. Activists have been battling the city on the planned removal of certain heritage trees along the San Antonio River that have caused damage to historic walls.An updated version of the Brackenridge Park 2017 bond project presented to the public Tuesday night would save 19 of the 104 trees initially projected to be cut down.
“These walls were built to protect the trees from soil erosion,” Ayala said. “So for you to keep telling us you have to cut down the trees to preserve walls — you’re supposed to preserve the trees. The walls were made to protect the trees.” Tuesday’s meeting focused on changes to what officials are calling phase one of the project, which will include restoration of the river walls, the Lambert Beach walls and stairs, grading and earthwork improvements.
Much of the opposition has been focused on heritage trees, 10 of which were originally slated for removal. Over the past six months, the SWA Group and city have been able to whittle the number of heritage trees down that will need to be removed to six. The city defines heritage trees as trees that have a diameter at “breast height” of 24 inches or greater.
, documents showed the parks department saw the reduced nesting area as a positive side effect of the bond project.for denying the connection, but the city has shown no willingness to back down from its efforts to remove the rookeries, citing bird droppings that make parts of the public park, including a playground, unusable to residents.