City’s tree canopy in good hands

Dave Cooper, by his feckless April 27 diatribe regarding Lexington’s tree canopy, has revealed his ignorance about the subject. Nevertheless, I thank him for provoking me to respond.

Starting in 2012 with Urban County Government’s commissioning of the Davey Group to do a scientific report and visual accounting of the canopy, Lexington has made protecting and growing the canopy a priority. Demonstrating not only our interest in but the value we place on trees are efforts by the Division of Environmental Policy, led by director Susan Plueger; the Tree Board and its chair, Ann Bowe; the Corridors Commission; America in Bloom and its president, Ann Garrity; and Councilman Jake Gibbs’ recently formed canopy committee of some 19 outstanding professionals, citizens, city employees and council members.

Believe me, in the near future there will be a groundswell of public and private emphasis on protecting and growing our canopy unheard of in Lexington history. I write as a committed member of the Tree Board, Gibbs’ committee and America in Bloom, and as a former council member.

This story was originally published May 13, 2016 at 5:15 PM with the headline "City’s tree canopy in good hands."