Removals of mature oaks and pines in Gainesville, a longtime “tree city” designee, drew scrutiny this summer as the city began construction on a new public safety center near Archer Road and Interstate 75.
What happens when chainsaws quiet and trucks cart off the last trunks?
Gainesville code offers a few options to compensate for the loss. Sometimes, public workers sink spades into soil and plant new trees in city greenspace. But as development encroaches and plantable space shrinks, city staff is increasingly turning its efforts to buying and preserving forested land…