Michael,

At Green Lake we've had some experience with reducing the danger of people
getting hurt by falling limbs (other than cutting the trees down), not with
cottonwoods, but some other trees.

The Green Lake Park Alliance (volunteers), in cooperation with the Seattle
Department of Parks and Recreation, tried to find a more ecologically
friendly solution to removal of trees west of the Bathhouse Theater. With a
lot of help from the then City Arborist Paul West, we managed to convince
Parks management that dead trees fulfill an important ecological function,
and that a demonstration project could have great educational value.

In this particular situation it was possible to cutt the top-heavy branches
and leave the dead wood as natural barriers to keep people out of the danger
zone (where other limbs might fall). Paul's tree crew had a great time using
their chain saws to limb the trees up but make the cuts look more natural
(not straight). Actually making kerfs to allow water and fungi to penetrate
the remaining snags.

Beneath the trees we left the dead wood (and augmented it with some other
stumps) as well as wood chips, and with the help of many volunteers, over
the course of many months, native understory plants were planted (bought
with a Small & Simple matching grant from the City). There is a bird
connection: it was discovered that the vandals who systematically uprooted
the newly planted vegetation were not human: they were crows, presumably
looking for food in the holes dug for the plants....

In one of the two locations small signs, informing people of the species of
native plants present, were added, to enhance the educational value of the
project. Volunteers gave talks about the project on site, as well.

This kind of project is only possible in a location where the trees are not
immediately adjacent to high-use sections of the park (path, plaza, soccer
field, P-patch etc.), like these particular areas at Green Lake.

We also had an experience similar to the one you are having. The cottonwoods
at Gaines Point (elsewhere in the Park), were all planted at the same time
(memorial to murdered woman back in 1927, hence the name), and all matured
at the same time. They were dropping limbs on warm, sunny, wind-less days,
as cottonwoods are want to do.

I'm not a tree buff, but having listened to all the arguments why these
trees were a danger, I reluctantly had to agree with the decision to remove
them. At that point I favored removing all of them at once (instead of
piecemeal). Although this was a traumatic experience for many, I figured
that with all trees removed at the same time, the site could be prepared for
new plantings much more thoroughly (when all the trees were gone they could
use heavier equipment to remove old stumps, augment the soil, install
irrigation, and improve the seawall along the lake shore). Also, since the
City is "self-insured" (meaning the taxpayers bear the burden) I'd rather
not pay someone a million bucks after an accident, but rather use that
million to do more useful things with (aside from the obvious desire to
avoid having someone get hurt).

Obviously our choice wasn't quite as tough as yours. Yes, the trees were
used as perches by Bal;d Eagles, Peregrine Falcon, and accipiters, but the
only nesting species were European Starling and House Sparrow.

We (GLPA) have tried to learn from the experience. We've established a tree
fund and we will attempt to make periodic plantings to diversify the age of
the trees in the Park, in order to avoid such wholesale removal of stands of
trees in the future (yes, thinking one or two generations ahead).

If you have contacts, I can supply the names and phone numbers of the Parks
Department people in charge, who can provide more details about the
experience near the Bathhouse Theater (Habitat Restoration Project) from a
management standpoint of view.

The question you're facing at Marymoore Park is: is there room and is there
the will to set aside part of the P-patch and soccer fields, to create a
buffer around the dying trees, in order to let nature take its course?

Sincerely,
Martin Muller, Seattle
MartinMuler at email.msn.com