[EEnews] After years of planning by city officials, New Yorkers got a close-up glimpse of the trade-offs inherent in the fight against climate change when crews this month began cutting down the first of a thousand trees targeted for removal in John V. Lindsay East River Park.Since the chain saws arrived two weeks ago, workers have moved quickly to get rid of more than 70 species of mature trees at the popular 46-acre park on the Lower East Side, including 419 oaks, 284 London planes, 89 honey locusts and 81 cherry trees; along with eventually demolishing a running track, ball fields, lawns, picnic areas, an amphitheater and a composting center...
The park overhaul, spurred by the destruction of Superstorm Sandy in lower Manhattan nearly a decade ago, is all part of a $1.45 billion flood protection project that backers say befits the nation's largest city, a massive project that will include the construction of a 2.4-mile system of walls and gates along the East River.
| We did something like that in Cincinnati a decade ago. Riverfront Park was built as a series of terraces that accommodate seasonal flooding, containing gardens, playgrounds, open air performance spaces, and an underground parking garage. We love it as much as New Yorkers love their Central Park. |