To the editor: The city of Whittier has long faced a problem with walkability of its main commercial center, and it thinks the answer is to cut down more than 100 ficus trees in favor of more concrete and steel for its Greenleaf Avenue beautification project.
What are Whittier’s leaders thinking?
Walking areas with trees are some of the most important resources for any city. Think of the Tuileries Garden in Paris, pocket parks in New York City or even my own congested hometown of Irvine, where parks make this city livable and remarkably green.
Thank goodness the Whittier Conservancy is aware of these plans and has sued the city. It’s time for Whittier to reconsider its plan.
Naomi Gustafson, Irvine
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To the editor: I love trees, but ficus trees are not at all suited for city or residential streets, as Whittier’s ordeal with Greenleaf Avenue shows.
I’d like to know why the city of Los Angeles, where I lived before moving to Georgia, decided years ago to plant ficus trees all over. I say remove and replace them with California-native shade trees.
Gail Noon, Ft. Oglethorpe, Ga.
