Everything is a compromise
Jun. 13th, 2023 10:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
resoluteThe dragonflies in our yard this year are whitetail skimmers. They are smaller than darners, but have a thicker abdomen. The mature males have entirely white abdomens, hence the name. Juveniles start with white spots and the color spreads.
There's construction on one of the major roads in my neighborhood. It's MUCH-needed work. They are putting in better storm sewers, adding bikes lanes and sidewalks, reshaping the road to slow traffic and provide parking. I am largely in favor of this.
Some folks in the neighborhood are very upset because a couple dozen mature trees have been removed along the road. Now, I am a huge nature-booster, but I don't think it's a net loss to lose these trees in this neighborhood. We have a LOT of mature trees, including some huge old oaks. I feel that the gain in useability, particularly protecting the bus stops and making dedicated bike lanes, is worth it.
In response to the outcry the county (the county owns this particular road, even though all the work in being done inside city limits. It's a county highway, apparently.) has planted young trees all along the road. But the county does not have the money to WATER the trees. So the neighbors who live closest have organized with the county and the university (which front the entire construction area) to get water bags. Community members are sort of unofficially adopting specific trees to water.
There will be trees.
I think about the tensions between the needs of densely-dwelling humans and Everything Else a lot. I think about it in my yard. The rabbits can live here, but I am going to defend some plants from them. The woodpeckers are very welcome, and we moved the patio furniture away from the nest, but we do have to go out and do things. And, we are just going to sit out on our patio. The woodpeckers have to adjust to our us of the space.
The apportioning of resources is one of the fundamental concerns of humanity.
I am really looking forward to useable sidewalks!
There's construction on one of the major roads in my neighborhood. It's MUCH-needed work. They are putting in better storm sewers, adding bikes lanes and sidewalks, reshaping the road to slow traffic and provide parking. I am largely in favor of this.
Some folks in the neighborhood are very upset because a couple dozen mature trees have been removed along the road. Now, I am a huge nature-booster, but I don't think it's a net loss to lose these trees in this neighborhood. We have a LOT of mature trees, including some huge old oaks. I feel that the gain in useability, particularly protecting the bus stops and making dedicated bike lanes, is worth it.
In response to the outcry the county (the county owns this particular road, even though all the work in being done inside city limits. It's a county highway, apparently.) has planted young trees all along the road. But the county does not have the money to WATER the trees. So the neighbors who live closest have organized with the county and the university (which front the entire construction area) to get water bags. Community members are sort of unofficially adopting specific trees to water.
There will be trees.
I think about the tensions between the needs of densely-dwelling humans and Everything Else a lot. I think about it in my yard. The rabbits can live here, but I am going to defend some plants from them. The woodpeckers are very welcome, and we moved the patio furniture away from the nest, but we do have to go out and do things. And, we are just going to sit out on our patio. The woodpeckers have to adjust to our us of the space.
The apportioning of resources is one of the fundamental concerns of humanity.
I am really looking forward to useable sidewalks!