Roosevelt Island Community Members Upset That Octagon Playing Field Trees Cut Down Without Prior Notice

You Tube Video From Roosevelt Island 360

Tomorrow is Arbor Day and as reported previously there will be a Roosevelt Island Arbor Day Celebration at the Meditation Steps from 10 - 11 AM featuring members of the Roosevelt Island Tree Board, students and teachers of PS/IS 217 as well as RIOC President Steve Shane.

While on the subject of Roosevelt Island Trees, there was some recent controversy regarding the cutting down of 15 -20 trees located on the Northwest Corner of the Octagon playing field which is currently undergoing resurfacing. The trees cut down can clearly be seen in the 2007 Roosevelt Island 360 Video and their removal from this recent picture.

Octagon Playing Field Resurfacing With Trees Removed From Corner

A reader sent in the account below. (Note that I have included explanatory references within the account that are in parenthesis and bold):

While walking the other day to Lighthouse park, I noticed that trees were down and branches were being put into some kind of shredding machine. I questioned some of the workers who told me to speak with the head guy who wasn't there.

This was over a 2 day span. The first day I saw a few down but it was unclear whether they had fallen due to a bad storm or if they were being taken down. On the second day there was no question I saw them cutting down trees. I was told from the workers that trees were being removed on only one side for the new Soccer Field. On my way back I went into RIOC and neither, Steve, Fernando or Rosina (RIOC Executive Staff) were in yet. I called Ally Swahri, head of the Tree Board to see if he knew anything about the trees and he didn't. He called Mike Smith (RIOC Parks and Recreation Manager), who referred him to Fernando. A few hours later I was going to Gristedes and stuck my head into RIOC again. I saw Steve Shane and we went into his office. He showed me an email that was sent to Margie (RIOC Director Margie Smith) explaining what's going on. As usual they have an answer for everything.

They were invasive trees, they needed to add an additional lamp post and although they did not communicate with the Tree Board they did consult with the prime contractor and the project's landscape architects. After going to Gristedes, I ran into Steve Shane (RIOC President) again who was on his way to the soccer field and he asked me if I wanted to join him. When we got there Fernando (RIOC VP Of Operations) was there. Again, they have an answer for everything.

I explained how sensitive the island is when trees come down and that he (Steve) has written in his column every issue of The WIRE about the field and never mentioned trees coming down. I was disturbed with their process, what they decide to tell us and what they don't. Fernando also mentioned that the trees had to come down not only because of the additional light that has to be added (because there is someone on the East Side of Manhattan, who has been making a stink that the other lights glare into her apartment) but because he does not want to block the Manhattan view from the Soccer players. You, of course, know what my answer was to that (Referring to the FDR Memorial Trees that will block waterfront views at Southpoint Park). Again, not only are they more concerned with renting out the field than with the residents, but they just have an answer for everything and that changes every minute depending on what they are trying to accomplish. Also, they are working with a landscape architect who will replace trees and they need to have a field that is of regulated size so that soccer teams will rent out our field.

These are the facts as I know them.

RIRA President's Frank Farance mentions the tree cutting in his recent Message:

... Meanwhile, after the Blackwell Park Committee went through painstaking efforts to make sure all the trees in Blackwell Park are preserved, you'd have thunk RIOC might ask its directors or RIRA before cutting down 20+ trees near Octagon, but they didn't consult with anyone -- lost trees and a firestorm of criticism for RIOC...

I asked RIOC VP Of Operations Fernando Martinez to comment and he responds:

Below is my response to a RIOC Board member who has raised the same question and concern:

"There are approximately 10-15 trees being removed for several reasons. First, the trees, most of which are invasive, are located on what will be the west sideline of the new field. Second, we are installing an additional light pole, and the trees will interfere with the new light pole including casting a shadow onto the field. Lastly, most turf fields have no or a limited of trees on its border in order to reduce the amount of leaves, flowers, etc. falling onto the field. We have not consulted with the Tree Board, but we were advised by William A. Gross Company, the project's prime contractor, and Quennell, Rothschild and Partners (QRP) the project's landscape architects. Both firms are very experienced and were highly recommended by NYC Parks and Recreation."