GREEN RIBBONS SHOW SUPPORT OF MOUNT DORA'S OAKS

4/10/2015

Residents, upset over the destruction of downtown Mount Dora's mature oak trees and the knowledge that many more are scheduled to meet the same fate in the next few weeks, have found a way to express their growing displeasure.

Residents and visitors that support "An Oak for An Oak" tree replacement policy are encouraged to tie green ribbons on their trees, doors, mailboxes, cars, or other visible places to express their solidarity and symbolize their request that the city council do more to preserve and restore Mount Dora's arborous charm. The green ribbon movement's goal is also to encourage the city council to develop a timeline to replace fifty percent of the palms planted downtown last year with shade trees similar to those planted in other Florida municipalities. The ribbons are intended to remain displayed until the oak trees are better protected and and those that must be removed are replaced.

The need for improved protection became an issue last summer after the city replaced mature oak trees with palm trees, in contrast to the planning departments public statements the oaks would be replaced with live oaks on Third Avenue. The palm tree substitution became a passionate issue as it drastically changed that area's character.

A written request was made to the city for additional information to include in this article, but was not received. For more news and events, subscribe to Mount Dora Buzz at www.MountDoraBuzz.com/subscribe

Removal of oak trees on 4th Avenue, April 6

Removal of more oak trees on 4th Avenue, April 6th

Car with green ribbon showing support of "Oak for An Oak" replacement policy and better oak preservation by city council

3rd Avenue before last year's removal of oak trees

3rd Avenue after last year's palm tree replacements

26 Comments

Susan

4/10/2015 06:26:46 am

The oaks are so much a part of the charm... please please don't replace them with palms... it is NOT in any way the same vibe!

Tammy

4/10/2015 06:45:35 am

I am so grateful to not be the only one feeling the pains of loosing the wonderful shade trees that adorn this lovely place. I realize maintenance is required from time to time, but please, replace them with younger oaks. By the time they need to be replaced, the streets will need to be updated again anyway. Palms are beautiful too, but should be saved for the beach areas.

Tom Duncan

4/10/2015 07:03:26 am

Why are they cutting down the beautiful trees. Live oaks are part of Mount Dora's history.

Angela

4/10/2015 08:16:21 am

We moved to Mt. Dora because of the beauty. Palm trees replacing lovely mature oaks? Maybe we made a mistake. I thought the character was charming. We did not move here for cookie cutter palm trees. Who thought this was a good idea?

Richard Dufour

4/10/2015 09:17:16 am

Mount Dora's charm is it's beautiful shady oaks. I have lived here all my 65 years and cannot stand the palms all over the downtown. Tourists will not like this either...

Sally Bullard

11/22/2015 05:40:59 pm

Dear Mr. Dufour,
I am the grand niece of Henry Howland Crapo who used to live in Mt. Dora and was very competently taken care of by Arthur Dufour- are you related? If you are I would love to try to get some more information about them both- Uncle Henry died in 1951 and I never met him but find him to be a very fascinating fellow-
Thank you so much for your time,
Sally

Richard Dufour Jr

11/22/2015 07:24:40 pm

My paternal grandfather was Arthur Dufour. I know that he "cared for" Mr. Crapo. I have only heard this when I was a child. My father (Arthur's son) passed away in 1982. I really know absolutely nothing about Mr. Crapo. The only thing I do know is my grand mother lived at his farm in Franconia, NH and later they moved to Mount Dora. I do not know if Mr. Crapo lived in Mount Dora or not but my grand parents moved here when I was a child. Both my grand mother and grand father passed away in the early 60s. If I can give any more specific information, please let me know. take care...Richard Dufour

11/22/2015 09:10:31 pm

Thank you so much for your quick response! Yes, Uncle Henry had homes in New Bedford, Sugar Hill, NH, and Mt. Dora. I believe he bequeathed his bungalow in Mt. Dora to Arthur and Lois upon his death in 1951. They took care of him for many years- I believe they came from New Bedford as well. In Henry's letters it's obvious how much he cared for them- they were his second family since he was widowed with no children. I have visited Mt. Dora trying to find the old bungalow with no success- I think it must have been torn down and replaced with a "McMansion"- Do you have any idea where the bungalow was located? If you do, perhaps you could email me at [email protected]. My thanks again to you!

Judith Shepp

4/10/2015 01:18:53 pm

Palm trees are not trees,rather huge ornamentals. Please replace oaks with oaks and get rid of the Palm trees.

Debra Dallmann

4/10/2015 02:23:09 pm

Oaks are historical beauty a palm tree is a beach tree not meant for our beautiful historic town. Oak 4 oak

Claire

4/10/2015 03:20:00 pm

Shame on Mt. Dora P &Z. Another travesty like what they did near the marina. City put in a "water feature" that turned into a cesspool! Thousand of hard earned tax dollars and they had to fill it in. Shame on you

Tracy Post link

4/10/2015 03:55:34 pm

Great article!!! Thank you for bring this issue to everyone's attention. Yes some of the trees needed to be removed because they were not stable and were rotting from the inside out, due to damaged sustained from the hurricanes several years ago. I agree the city needs to replace the trees to restore the charm. Where can we get ribbons?

Amy Beer

4/10/2015 08:33:21 pm

Not only am I digusted by the removal of the oak trees downtown, but I am thoroughly disgusted by the complete destruction of all of the forest on Clayton south of Chataqua. Yeah, another cookie cutter housing development. What is wrong with this town. The oaks are an important part of Florida charm and we continue to destroy them and the rest of our peaceful habitat. Enough is enough. If we keep this up, Mount Dora will not be so special. Replace all of the trees and set aside all of the remaining habitat for the critters who are real Florida natives. I can see why unhealthy trees are being removed, but they need to be replaced by Live Oak trees and not palms or crape myrtles.

marc vaughn link

4/11/2015 01:30:04 am

A few year back, 4 of us put 500 each into a fund and planted 13 live oaks on the first 2 blocks of Overlook Drive and Sylvan drive. That year the city's budget for tree's was $400. What a shame, With all my tax dollars, I wish the city would not try so hard to make our town look like so many other florida towns.
As residents we have to plant an oak if we take them down, how about the city play by their own rules.

Nancy McCullough

4/11/2015 05:10:41 am

Just curious ...how many years have the ones making these horrible decisions actually lived here . Do they have "roots" here like so many of us ? Bet they don't or they would never replace an oak with an ugly palm .

Irène link

4/11/2015 08:57:09 am

The comments about residents having to .... replace an oak for an oak .... is right on! Why is the city exempt from that rule?? Not ONE tree, several trees we had to plant for everyone cut down. It is utterly annoying to have to maintain three maturing trees who are trying to grow into the same air space ---- because we HAD to plant them! And in the end it was a waste of money and labor , too! The city needs reasonable plans for for their plantings. Hire or consult an arborist. In the meantime, an Oak for an Oak would be a great beginning! Now, where did I put that big roll of green ribbon???

Admin

4/11/2015 09:27:58 am

Any store that sells green ribbon (Target, Walgreen, Hobby Lobby, etc).

ADMIN

4/11/2015 09:32:08 am

You can tie ribbon to your mailbox, car side mirror, front grill, home's door. The more ribbons the city council has to see every day the better! Any color green ribbon is fine!

Flo

4/11/2015 10:05:16 am

Lindsay

4/11/2015 10:45:02 am

Wow the way the city council is going Mt Dora will look as lovely as EUSTIS does today and as profitable ! Good Job!!!!

Bryan Biery

4/12/2015 09:59:53 am

Replace, AND NURTURE EVERY one of those oaks with good oaks and do NOT WISHBONE MURDER THEM FOR ELECTRIC AND OTHER OBSOLETE WIRING AND POSTS! Don't recklessly dig around the roots of the surviving trees either.. Fix this, Mount Dora. Admit the great blunders. You can't replace the canopy or history, but you can darned well try! Voters, remember this. Mel tried to stop it, but to no avail. I guess Palms were a lot cheaper as well as uglier.

4/13/2015 01:42:26 am

In development, midagatfion is used a lot. So if anyone in mount dora cutting down an oak tree should have to plant one back "somewhere". In the case of downtown mount dora, i get that there is a underground utilities to work around. The city did plant drake elms that are also shade trees. So as far as the midagatfion, an idea. Plant oaks in other places around town, Highland street ect. If the city planted other areas of MD, it would appear to have the same feel, leaving the downtown area with fewer oaks.

Lisa Groetzner

4/16/2015 07:07:00 am

Palms are NOT the look for okd town charm that draws everyone here. An oak for an oak or sycamore or elm, but pkease NO MORE PALM TREES.

Laura

4/16/2015 09:26:13 am

I lived in St. Petersburg, Florida in the 60's. I came to visit my brother who lived in Mt. Dora. I was taken with the beauty of the trees, hills and lakes. St. Petersburg was typical Florida with palm trees.as I was leaving Mt Dora that day I remember thinking "why would anyone live down there (St. Petersburg) when this town is here. I moved to Mt.Dora in the 70's. This is home. Keep Mt. Dora special and unique save or if necessary replace the beautiful oaks!

Nancy Cullity

4/16/2015 11:43:48 am

A town as charming as Mt. Dora should have oaks, not palms. This is not the beach. Did you ever see a palm in Mayberry?

David

8/24/2015 02:39:20 pm

Without the Beautiful Oaks.....this could be any city in Florida.....the palms have ZERO personality.
Other cities like Winter Park and St Augustine have had the wisdom to leave the Oaks. What a same that the Mt Dora Leaders are so shortsighted. Poor leadership in many ways. They have put the little shops, restaurants and businesses in jeopardy year after year with their lack of leadership foresight. We are loosing more shops with each month. Some buildings such as the Northeast corner of 5th and Donnelly have been empty for more than a dozen years.

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