A Tree That Unifies Us

To the Editor:

With millions of trees in the world, often ignored as a group, one doesn’t necessarily bat an eye when they are cut down for the better good of a neighborhood. Yet, and for some strange reason, there is always that one lone tree which wields its magical charm around a community and vines it together as one family. Like the Charter Oak Tree, or even the Tree of Souls in the movie Avatar, all it may take to unite a diverse community — its businesses, its home, its people — with a sense of being a part of “one,” is the presence of a lone standing tree.

The Sandy Hook tree is one such tree. Everybody knows about its importance to the community and its people.

The Newtown Bee’s article was read with both sadness and disgust since it was all about money, how “business owners delight in its presence,” how “it’s too large for the area,” how it is “dwarfing everything,” how the new “streetscape will greatly improve the area.”

Forget the consumers (i.e., the residents). They won’t notice the loss of such an iconic town symbol. Tear the 35-foot hindrance! We’ll just plant a few “harmonious” plantings, a “small informative kiosk” and all would be peachy keen.

If only the Newtown Forest Association, Deputy Director of Land Use Rob Sibley, NFA President Bob Eckenrode, First Selectman Pat Llodra, would stop and realize their efforts are futile. Businesses make money, not from leisurely strolls through “streetscape,” but from having businesses that appeal to the community. Open up a bakery store, an everyday apparel store with the class of Sabrina Style, just add more businesses.

Work around the tree, just leave it alone. If it looks worn, trim it. If the “arborist’s assessments say the tree could begin to deteriorate in coming years,” wait and see. If this tree can weather the infamous past storms then it seems to me that its roots are good and strong.

It means more to the town than you think. It unifies us.

Eileen Chin

8 Maple Drive, Sandy Hook                                               April 3, 2012