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Are Street Trees Sprayed?

Thank you for the article "Treeless in Seattle" [WFP Nov/Dec '99]. For some reason the fruits (acorns, sweet gum balls, etc) of the trees along city streets don't ripen. They fall off while they are green and immature. These trees are along 15th Ave NE around 41st to 47th Aves, and E. Pine on Capitol Hill from Broadway down to the highway overpass. Does anyone know what they are spraying them with or what is their problem? If it is a spray, does it drift and affect gardens, animals, and people? I have never seen any birds in the affected trees, so I figure something must have been sprayed on them.

Maria Abdin, Seattle.

Replying is Liz Ellis of the Seattle Transportation Division (206)684-5008.

Maria, thank you for writing about the Sweetgum street trees. These trees are known for their splendid fall color and adaptability to urban planting and are indigenous to the southeast where there is typically more humidity and heat during the summer. [An urban forestry delegation from the state of Georgia] mentioned that Sweetgums in their neck of the woods also drop fruit while they are still green. There are many factors that naturally contribute to early fruit drop from incomplete pollination to untimely changes in moisture or temperature. I can assure you that the City of Seattle has not sprayed these trees. It is the City's policy to reduce the use of hazardous materials in our operations. It is our policy to manage pests through a variety of techniques including pest tolerance, promoting plant health, and physical, biological, and chemical control. Seattle is a tough place for trees. It's even more challenging for songbirds who have limited habitat and face predation by cats and competition from squirrels, crows, starlings, and house sparrows. There are several things that people can do to enhance habitat. Apartment dwellers can put out bird houses and feeders and people with yards can add plants that provide cover and fruit. Until March 2000 you can get a $25 discount coupon from the City of Seattle's Millennium program to use towards the purchase of a tree. Call 615-0897. There are many trees with ornamental fruits such as pine cones, alder cones, and maple seeds. I use Sweetgum balls as holiday decorations and have often thought of painting them to use as earrings!

Liz Ellis

WTO was a gas; what does the future hold?

Dear Editor,

Hey, just wanna thank you all for your "how to deal with tear gas" piece. Led me to see myself as a "semi-medic" downtown, distributing gauze and water antidotes throughout the day. (Even got a water refill from the Nordstrom's bathroom around mid-day.)

We will yet see all the other lessons we learned that week, in addition to how to defend ourselves from tear gas attack. I believe we must continue to enrich our understanding of global solidarity (the backroom rulers are still riding the WTO horse, until we find out otherwise). What will the implications of Seattle be for the future of our constitutional rights? What if labor had taken the streets instead of led their people out of town at 4 p.m. Tuesday? How can we continue to broaden support for our mobilizations and direct action? Hope you all are well, keep up the struggle.

David Stein