To our Friends of Carpenter’s Woods members and neighbors,
Thank you for your patience while we have been determining the source of damage to the many saplings along the edge of Carpenter’s Woods. The damage was caused by chemical herbicides applied by a PECO contractor in May. The killed trees are nearly all native, new-growth saplings, seeded from our own Carpenter’s Woods forest. Most were going to be tall, ground protecting and water managing, animal-supporting, shade-producing, hardwood species and were behind the existing tree line. Additionally, this work was done without warning and no provisions were made by PECO’s contractors to warn or protect visitors or pedestrians using the sidewalk and paths into the woods from the chemicals.
It is important to note this new growth was made possible by the hard work of Friends of Carpenter’s Woods and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, as well as the Philadelphia Water Dept. in clearing non-native trees and plants and planting natives. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation also created and maintains a specific, clear right-of-way for PECO access along Greene St. and N. Mt. Pleasant, so PECO’s herbicide treatment of over 200 small trees along this corridor was unwarranted and especially disturbing.
We have contacted PECO through Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and have arranged a meeting with their representatives to view the damage and to negotiate equivalent replacements for the destroyed young trees, along with working on methods for avoiding such disturbing destruction in the future.
There will be an outdoor, open meeting with PECO Representatives at Carpenter’s Woods Thursday, August 16 at 5:30 PM for the surveying of the damage. We will start at the corner of Greene St. and N. Mt. Pleasant.
A show of Friends of Carpenter’s Woods member support for reparations for this uncalled-for destruction will be welcome, if you can be there for the outdoor survey.
We are asking PECO for the following reparations:
- Replacement of an equal number of saplings along the edges of Carpenter’s Woods, which were compromised by the treatments.
- Replacement of any soil contaminated by the wanton overspray and excessive use of herbicide.
- Tree replacements are to be of the same or similar native species to those killed. Non-native and ornamentals will not be accepted.
- Tree replacements are to be planted along the edge of Carpenter’s Woods where the damage occurred and are to be planted by professionals.
- Where low-growing or ground-cover plants were killed, native replacements are to be planted.
- In the future, PECO will not touch any trees in Carpenter’s Woods without prior notification and will request for permission to do such work, except in an emergency. This includes trimming (or as they like to call it “training”) any tree growth, as PP&R has arborists and sawyers who already accomplish this task, evidently with more consideration for public safety.
- In the future, PECO and its contractors will not use herbicides on Public Park Lands and especially not near public access paths and public use areas.
PECO will recognize this park and others are protected Natural Refuges. - Carpenter’s Woods is locally and nationally protected natural habitat supporting native plants and animals. The woods manages and helps protect our Wissahickon watershed and water supply and serves as an accessible, green, public recreational area. The safety of our park’s inhabitants, neighbors, visitors, and habitat is important to everyone.
Once, again, thank you for your support of Friends of Carpenter’s Woods and our efforts to maintain this special part of the Wissahickon watershed and an important part of our neighborhood.
