Before I retired from WQED in September 2014, this was the view outside my window … except there were trees.
Last month contractors removed all the trees on the hillside between CMU’s new Tepper Quad and Central Catholic’s football field. By the time I saw it a week ago it looked like this.
To give you an idea of what it used to look like, here’s a view of the remaining trees behind WQED.
In the grand scheme of things this was a small woodlot surrounded by parking lots and an astroturf field, host to many invasive species.
Does it matter that humans removed this small landscape?
It does to the animals who lived there.
In the remaining woodlot behind WQED two squirrels fought a territorial battle. The loud one said, “This is mine! You have to leave!” The other cowered but stayed nearby. Probably a refugee.
Winter or a predator will determine who survives.
(photos by Kate St. John)
p.s. Does anyone know whose project this is (CMU or Central Catholic?) and why it was done?
UPDATE: I haven’t been back to the site for a week but friends confirm that this is a CMU project and that all the trees are gone now. Every single one.
What a shame!
I’m always disappointed when Pittsburgh becomes less green. Unless they were planning a building expansion, I don’t see what the issue with the trees would be. Perhaps someone can answer.
Besides the animals that lost their homes, air quality just lost a few more helpers – so short sighted.
It’s the Tepper Quad construction project that will replace the surface lot behind Morewood Gardens with four new buildings, it’s a huge project. I don’t know exactly what the footprint of the building will be, but I’m not surprised they’ve cleared all the space around it — it’s huge, they’re going to be moving a lot more earth before they’re done. On the plus side, they’re building a sidewalk down Neville… And hopefully they’ll replace the trees when the project is finished.
Thanks, Andrea.
We had a large tract of woods behind the VA hospital in Butler, PA. A couple years ago it was cut down and bulldozed for VA expansion. The project fell through and it now sits; just dirt. We lost a wonderful habitat for wildlife and a park for people to walk for a project that will not happen. Someone should have to restore the property.
Maybe they plan to put in bleachers on that side of the field