Keep the trees and fill potholes instead

We residents of Sunnyside Road love the beautiful aspen trees along our road and the big trees that were recently cut down at Oden Hall. These huge old trees make (made) us happy at all times of the year — the white trunks silhouetted against a dark winter sky, bright new leaves in the spring sunshine, autumn yellow to cheer us on our way home.

Cutting them down for “routine maintenance” or for any reason makes us really mad. I have lived at Sunnyside for 30 years and the trees have done just fine in all that time, causing no serious problems to the road or easement. Why now? I went down to talk to the road crew recently and they said they were trying to be careful but that the needed to cut the trees that will encroach on the road and lead to deterioration of the roadbed.

I fully understand the problem that aspen roots cause. Our house is in the middle of an aspen grove and I just finished personally digging out a very big aspen root along the foundation of my house. However, I think we should more carefully assess what actions are actually needed to solve this road maintenance problem. I don’t believe the aspen roots are causing the road deterioration.

It has been my observation on my own property that the aspens have not encroached on our gravel driveway over the past 25 years. This is because of our constant use of the driveway and mowing  along the edges, which has kept down the shoots. Aspens love water. There is no water under the surface of Sunnyside Road. It is very elevated above the ditch. As long as we continue to mow the sides of the road, thereby eliminating the shoots (as we have done for at least the last 30 years), these beautiful aspens will stay where we want them.

My suggestion would be to continue mowing rather than cutting the aspens down, thereby controlling the shoots that might head for the road. I suggest commissioners consult with a tree expert prior to destroying more trees.

Stop cutting our trees. How about using the money instead to fill the existing potholes?

JILL TRICK

Sandpoint