As two time graduate of the “stately oaks and broad magnolias” filled campus of Louisiana State, resident of Baton Rouge’s historical Garden District, a small business owner of a business downtown, as well as a business located in Perkins Overpass area, and a member of Baton Rouge Green’s Board of Directors, our city’s roadside trees and green infrastructure are crucial and valuable to me. As someone who lives and daily travels along the I-10 corridor, these trees are an integral component of my health and businesses. Trees are imperative as t us in abundant. Trees aid in heat stroke protection, cleaner air, better breathing, sounder sleep, stress relief, disease prevention, storm water drainage, and defense from depression, just to name a few. To advance this project of widening I-10 without properly accounting for and replacing
The attraction of trees lost would be a travesty and no advancement..at..all DOTD must budget for replacement of all trees to be removed as a critical element of the I-10 Widening project budget, not as an afterthought. Community trees within the proposed project are vital to the sustainability of my businesses and health. The benefits are measurable Specifically, these trees intercept almost 3 million gallons of storm water every year, collect over 1,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and fine-particle pollutants in the air each year, and scrub almost 240,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air every year. DOTD must commit to appropriately and adequately investing in trees. All trees removed during this process should be accounted for and replaced at a minimum ratio of 3 to 1, in an effort to recover the loss of ecological and environmental services that the current trees provide. Anything less is not acceptable.
Response:
DOTD will be replacing trees in accordance with their Significant Tree policy and will replant where, possible in coordination with Baton Rouge Green.
Comment:
As two time graduate of the “stately oaks and broad magnolias” filled campus of Louisiana State, resident of Baton Rouge’s historical Garden District, a small business owner of a business downtown, as well as a business located in Perkins Overpass area, and a member of Baton Rouge Green’s Board of Directors, our city’s roadside trees and green infrastructure are crucial and valuable to me. As someone who lives and daily travels along the I-10 corridor, these trees are an integral component of my health and businesses. Trees are imperative as t us in abundant. Trees aid in heat stroke protection, cleaner air, better breathing, sounder sleep, stress relief, disease prevention, storm water drainage, and defense from depression, just to name a few. To advance this project of widening I-10 without properly accounting for and replacing
The attraction of trees lost would be a travesty and no advancement..at..all DOTD must budget for replacement of all trees to be removed as a critical element of the I-10 Widening project budget, not as an afterthought. Community trees within the proposed project are vital to the sustainability of my businesses and health. The benefits are measurable Specifically, these trees intercept almost 3 million gallons of storm water every year, collect over 1,000 pounds of greenhouse gases and fine-particle pollutants in the air each year, and scrub almost 240,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air every year. DOTD must commit to appropriately and adequately investing in trees. All trees removed during this process should be accounted for and replaced at a minimum ratio of 3 to 1, in an effort to recover the loss of ecological and environmental services that the current trees provide. Anything less is not acceptable.
Response:
DOTD will be replacing trees in accordance with their Significant Tree policy and will replant where, possible in coordination with Baton Rouge Green.