MANHATTAN (WABC) — There is controversy in New York City over cutting down mature trees in Battery Park City.<\/p>\n
More than 400 trees are being cut down as part of a ‘resilience project’ to protect against flooding.<\/p>\n
Many residents are upset that most of the old trees are not being replanted elsewhere.<\/p>\n
“It was so beautiful area. Omg look at it without the trees, without the trees,” Kanika Devan said.<\/p>\n
Devan was talking about the trees that were cut down right outside her window in Battery Park South in the past two days.<\/p>\n
She said it made her break down in tears.<\/p>\n
“They’ve literally butchered the trees,” another resident said.<\/p>\n
Residents are outraged and posting on social media about what they are witnessing.<\/p>\n
Felipe Serra noticed the change in scenery when he brought his child to school.<\/p>\n
“Like there’s no tree anymore. And they were very big with, like, nests for, birds. So everyone is very shocked with, the change that happened and how fast it happened,” Serra said.<\/p>\n
And the timing isn’t great.<\/p>\n
“It’s like kind of upsetting that today is like Earth Day. So, like, they’re cutting down trees on a day that you’re supposed to, like, celebrate these trees,” one kid said.<\/p>\n
According to the plan that they presented, they’re supposed to transplant the trees.<\/p>\n
The Battery Park City Authority said very few trees are viable for transplantation and most are being removed to make way for the Battery Park Resiliency Project, which is a massive project meant to protect the park from severe flooding.<\/p>\n
The map and legend detailing which trees would be removed and which would be transplanted can make things confusing.<\/p>\n
In a statement today, BPCA said in part, “Tree removal is understandably difficult to see, but any suggestion that this work to reduce flood risk runs counter to the spirit of Earth Day fundamentally misunderstands what this project is about.”<\/p>\n
The project will end up planting more trees than it removes.<\/p>\n
Nonetheless, residents say they will seek an injunction to stop further tree removal.<\/p>\n
There’s also a lawsuit making its way through the courts to stop this project altogether.<\/p>\n
“Maybe there’s a positive and there’s maybe the silver lining is that it happened today and got everyone upset and maybe some movement will happen to stop this,” Devan said.<\/p>\n
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