The Australian Pines at Fort Zach

A Citizen's Voice

"So Australian pines are not indigenous to Fort Zachary Taylor state park but concrete-covered shelters are?"

From the Key West Citizen 1/28/2007

What's important is what citizens believe is important

Letter to the Editor, Keynoter:

In her recent letter, Helen Harrison alerted us: the threat of losing the Pines in Fort Zachary Taylor Park--of losing our Park as we know it--is real--and imminent. Those who wish to preserve the Park support the principle that bird and turtle habitats are truly important. We agree that we must protect against the intrusion of foreign plants and animals. Full agreement!

Full agreement on principle, however, does not mean "no exceptions". Australian pines, or Casuarinas, at Fort Zachary also have a long history in the Caribbean. These trees are often cited as the landmark for sailors. "A prominent stand of Casuarinas trees marks the landfall", a typical quote from Street's "Cruising Guide to the Bahamas" circa 1950. It is said that the Pines at Ft. Zachary currently serve as THE landmark for birds migrating from South and Central America to Florida...and as a resting place and a source of food when their trip is delayed by weather.

Pines were growing within Fort Zachary half a century before they stabilized the Park. Arguably, these trees constitute a "historic landscape" and as such, are an important feature not only of the Park but also of historic Fort Zachary.

Please understand: the importance of a feature on public land is not intrinsic to the feature itself. A structure, a statue, or a landscape becomes important only to the extent that citizens view it as important. Mankind creates the importance.

So if the citizens of Key West feel that these Pines and our Park have value as a historic and cultural landscape that must be preserved, then let's face it: The Pines and Park must be preserved.

Evidence says: the public wants preservation of their Park. However, action is needed now. Many trees have already been cut down, and more soon will be. Why? To make room to build a commercial operation of three pavilions to bring revenue to the Park Service. Our Park will no longer exist as we know it today. Our tiny bit of Nature sacrificed for government profit!

The Monroe County Commissioners and the Key West City Commissioners have passed resolutions reflecting strong public sentiment to save the pines. Nevertheless, the Park Service ignores this public outcry and proceeds with plans to remove the pines. Already they have piled calcium carbonate on the roots of many pines--see photo. A national expert states that this will kill the pines if they are not cut down first.

What can you do? Visit Save Our Pines. Join the fight!

Nils Muench

State denies removing pines

BY MANDY BOLEN
Key West Citizen Staff
1/26/2007

KEY WEST — Residents continue to voice concern about the removal of Australian pine trees at Fort Zachary Taylor, yet park officials say no mature trees have been taken out since Hurricane Wilma toppled or forced the removal of 91 trees.

The storm uprooted some trees that became dangerous, and officials continue to remove saplings and other species deemed invasive exotics, Park Ranger Mark Knapke said in November 2005.

The removal of non-native plants is a statewide initiative by the Florida Park Service, but it is one that has come under heavy fire from fierce supporters of the Australian pine trees at Fort Taylor, which provide a significant amount of shade for beachgoers.

"There have been no pines removed since Hurricane Wilma, and right now, the Florida Park Service is working with all interested parties to come to an agreement to work out the situation," said Katie Flanagan, spokeswoman for the park service.

Officials at the popular beach at the end of Southard Street have applied for 3,600 cubic yards of sand for beach renourishment, and received a permit for the sand in August 2006. The permit also states that the removal of Australian pine trees is to continue at an annual removal rate of 10 percent for the next 10 years until the pines are eradicated.

Flanagan emphasized that pine trees currently are not being removed, but also said that there are no dates or plans set for the arrival of the new sand.

"Fort Zachary Taylor is not scheduled for any sand, and we're trying to reach an understanding with Ms. [Helen] Harrison," she said.

Harrison, a local artist, has been one of the island's most outspoken protectors of the pines, and has followed all permit applications between the park and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

She wrote in a recent letter to the editor in The Citizen that there are about 836 pine trees remaining at Fort Taylor, and pointed out that the 10 percent removal rate would not give ample time for newly planted native species to provide the same amount of shade in the next 10 years.

"We do have a rapport going right now with the park service," Harrison said, encouraging residents and visitors to contact State Rep. Ron Saunders and U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen for their support in keeping the trees, but also acknowledging that no further trees have been removed.

Exempt Fort Zach Pines!

Dear Park Lovers,

Most of the pines at Ft. Zach are looking green and happy from recent rains. You can almost hear them whispering in the wind - "we want to stay, we want to stay and let you picnic, play and read in the shade." But the magic may soon end. An Army Corps of Engineers permit dated May 6, 2006, proposes to place 3,600 cubic yards of sand on the beach ONLY if all Australian pines are eradicated at a MINIMUM rate of 10% annually. "This work shall begin at the waterward extent of the park and continue until all Australian Pines are removed no later than 10 years from the date of this permit."

"The beach is shaded by several acres of Australian Pine trees so it is always a bit cooler than the rest of the island," says TRAVELHOST magazine September 2006. The State of Florida and now, the US Army Corps of Engineers have been pushing to remove these shade bearing trees, to replace them with natives that they say are more appropriate. But, many disagree. "If they take the trees out, it will be a sweltering, blistering place that few people will enjoy. Know that if they take the Australian Pines out, any new trees they plant will have a very tough time becoming established." (Way Hoyt, American Society Consulting Arborists)

In other places, exotic vegetation has been allowed to remain because it is historically accurate and contributes to the character of a cultural landscape. If Ft. Taylor is not considered as an exception from the invasive removal plan, these agencies will change the nature of the park and take away one of the main reasons it is so popular. There is room for pines and natives both.

The present tree count, including about 15 sick trees, is down to 836. At a MINIMUM of 10% a year, the shade will be gone long before natives can provide even a semblance of the precious shade and serenity the pines already provide. In a recent contract between the State and the developer, Cayo Hueso Development, Inc., two 20' x 28' and one 20' x 40' pavilions would be built. Is this to be our new shade?

We're different than the rest of Florida. If you would like to see Ft Zach made an exception to the invasive removal plan, contact Representative Ron Saunders (ron.saunders@myfloridahouse.gov) and Congresswoman lleana Ros-Lehtinen (debbie.zimmerman@mail.house.gov) NOW.

Helen Harrison
www.saveourpines.com

From the Key West Citizen, Letters to the Editor, 1/22/07

Ask for Fort Zach to be exempt from tree replacement

EDITOR, Keynoter:

Most of the pines at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park are looking green and happy from recent rains. You can almost hear them whispering in the wind: “We want to stay, we want to stay and let you picnic, play and read in the shade.”

But the magic may soon end.

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit dated May 6, 2006, proposes to place 3,600 cubic yards of sand on the beach only if all Australian pines are eradicated at a minimum rate of 10 percent annually. It says: “This work shall begin at the waterward extent of the park and continue until all Australian Pines are removed no later than 10 years from the date of this permit.”

The state, and now, the Corps of Engineers have been pushing to remove these shade-bearing trees to replace them with natives that they say are more appropriate. But many disagree.

In other places, exotic vegetation has been allowed to remain because it is historically accurate and contributes to the character of a cultural landscape. If Fort Taylor is not considered as an exception from the invasive removal plan, these agencies will change the nature of the park and take away one of the main reasons it is so popular. There is room for pines and natives both.

The present tree count, including about 15 sick trees, is down to 836. At a minimum of 10 percent a year, the shade will be gone long before natives can provide even a semblance of the precious shade and serenity the pines already provide.

In a recent contract between the state and the developer, Cayo Hueso Development Inc., two 20-foot-by-28-foot and one 20-foot-by-40-foot pavilions would be built. Is this to be our new shade?

We're different than the rest of Florida. If you would like to see Fort Zach made an exception to the invasive removal plan, contact state Rep. Ron Saunders (ron@ron120.com) and U.S. Rep. lleana Ros-Lehtinen (debbiezimmerman@mail.house.gov).

Helen Harrison
Key West

From the Keynoter 1/19/07