Purdue Exponent Lead Article: 05.16.08

focb May 16th, 2008

This article appeared in the Purdue Exponent newspaper on the morning of 16 May 2008. The reporter, Natalie Banka, contacted Joan Mohr-Samuels to conduct an interview for the story.

The FoCB wishes to than Natalie for a splendid job of conducting a thorough and fair reporting of the issue surrounding the Celery Bog Good Neighbor Petition, the efforts of the Friends of Celery Bog and as well the Purdue response to the issues at hand.

Tree removal prompts petition, dialogue
By Natalie BankaPublication Date: 05/16/08
Summer Reporter

Purdue University has announced an open forum to discuss the removal of trees in the Celery Bog, an action which has inspired a petition in the community.

In mid-February, University employees cut down trees along the eastern side of the Celery Bog marsh, removing the visual screen between the bog and the Purdue Kampen Golf Course. According to Morgan Burke, athletics director, the water level had been raised, killing the trees on that side of the bog and creating an eyesore in the eyes of the golfers.

“The feeling was that it was for the greater good,” Burke said.

Members of the community, however, were disappointed in the trees’ removal.

“The really difficult thing was that there was no warning or explanation given prior to the actual cutting,” said Barny Dunning, associate professor of forestry and natural resources.

In response, members of Friends of the Celery Bog created a petition addressed to Purdue President France Córdova, requesting that the University consult experts in natural resources in the development of a replanting plan and in future decisions regarding the Celery Bog marsh. The petition has collected about 1,200 signatures.

Dunning said that although the trees were dead, they provided resources for wildlife, such as roosting spots for birds.

Burke said that if he were to do the removal over again, it would have been handled differently.

“We would have probably had a series of open meetings for people to voice their opinions,” Burke said.

Joan Mohr Samuels, a member of Friends of the Celery Bog, said that the goal of the group is not to sensationalize, but to get information out.

“I want it to make Purdue aware of how much the community cares about the Celery Bog Nature Area,” she said.

Dunning agrees.

“The important thing to understand is that the petition is not an effort to embarrass the Purdue administration and the golf course,” he said. “The petition is a request to make sure that the golf course makes use of the resources around here before they take this kind of action so they don’t have this negative response to what they’re doing.”

Burke believes the two sides will be able to cooperate.

“I think we’re going to come up with a solution that will enhance both from the recreational standpoint as well as the ecological standpoint.”

A date has not been set for the forum, but Burke said it most likely will be scheduled toward the end of May.

Link to this Story on the Exponent web site