My primary goal has always been to save trees, especially the Sycamore's that are the most prevalent and oldest of the species that are located in the corridor from 1/2 mile south of the Oak Creek Bridge all the way to 89A. As it currently stands...I could care less about the timeline to fill cash registers from weekenders coming up to Sedona during the Football game. This is the same lame mentality that has cursed the world...always in the name of money. It's a sick mentality. While more cars are going to be able to fill the city creating more carbon monoxide, the trees that ADOT plans to cut down provide us with Oxygen by processing those carbon emmisions. People need to LISTEN...this is not only shooting ourselves in the foot for the reason that any tree, especially very old growth trees because of their size provide us with the air that we breathe, but the trees and natural beauty of this area is what brings that tourism here in the first place. Now they say there are only (4) trees slated for removal if ADOT follows some of my requests. I don't see that cutting down (4) trees will stop the tourists from coming here. No. My standpoint is from that of human consciousness. I will say it for the hundredth time...ADOT DID NOT USE A CURRENT TREE SURVEY WHILE DESIGNING THIS PART OF THE PROJECT. Someone sitting in an air conditioned office...blatantly bulldozed through a grove of trees with their CAD design system not knowing where all of the trees, successor trees and misc. vegetation was located. AND...because this was not done, the public, VOICE of Choice...3,000 people who saw the plans, did not have or get, a clear idea as to the ACTUAL Environmental impact that the implementation of the design would entail. Having an accurate tree survey is required...just to build a house here. My attitude has not changed about saving these trees. The only thing that has changed is that I see ADOT is willing to make some alterations by moving the storm drain pipe line location to get it away from the Tlaquepaque wall/tree roots, and the tree wells and serpentine walkways will be created to save the trees that are along the north side of the highway in front of the New Age stores. This is good and I am indeed, very happy to hear this good news. However, the fact that this was NOT done in the first place provides a clear picture that there were OTHER oversights. Such is the case for not working the plan for the new bridge around some of the oldest Sycamore trees in the area of Tlaquepaque. Not ONE of these trees should be removed. NONE. That is my case and I am standing by it. The roundabout should be eliminated...ENTIRELY, because of the large footprint it requires in such a small, Environmentally sensitive area. Most traffic turns left at the bridge anyway and the proposed additional lanes will make the existing dangerous corner, much safer to navigate.

Jim Law
Save Sedona Trees Network