Comments about ‘Salt Lake City pondering spraying ailing trees for bugs and fungus’

No. No, no NO.

These pesticides end up in the air, they end up in the water. They make our children sick, they damage the environment.

If trees (nature) can't deal with bugs and fungus (nature) then NATURE should be left to take its course.

Adapt or die... it's how the natural world works.

Agree with DeltaFoxtrot --- I used to use pesticides and fungicides in my backyard "orchard" but tired of the wind whipping up every time I'd spray and getting a facefull. So I stopped spraying years ago and the trees have shown no effect for better or worse. USU Extension would of course disagree, I'm just saying...

As far as spraying trees like sycamores, elms, etc., I guess we leave it to the urban foresters, but if the trees were mine, I'd cut 'em down and plant new ones --- let nature do her thing over lifetimes.

DUH! Save the trees!!!

As long as the pesticides are used correctly, according to label, then they would be an asset to the trees. Whomever proposes replacement of the trees with Russian Olive, is a criminal - yes - in several counties within this state, including Salt Lake County, Russian olive trees are a noxious weed. They grow out of control. Are difficult to prune. They are an invasive species (non native). Seeds and starts find their way into waterways and waste an enormous amount of our precious water supply as they choke off rivers and streams.

Trees do not live forever.

I'm frequently called a "tree hugger", but I also realize that trees have a lifespan - especially in urban environments.

Harvest the aging trees, and replant species native to our area. For too long, Utah cities have attempted to emulate Eastern cities with swaths of grass, huge trees, and English gardens.

It's time to change.

Remove the dead/dying trees, and plan for the future. If the residents of the home want to replant a certain type of tree, they can pay for it.

'These pesticides end up in the air, they end up in the water. They make our children sick, they damage the environment.' - DeltaFoxtrot | 10:44 a.m. Feb. 9, 2012

I agree with you.

However...

Utah has a long, PROUD history of not caring about the air they breathe, the water they drink...

or the children who get sick.

To support this, I can use the examples of:

Liberty park oil spill

The air quality in Utah:

**'Study says coal burning in Utah kills 202 a year' - AP - Published by DSNews - 10/19/10

'SALT LAKE CITY A study commissioned by Utah state agencies says air pollution kills 202 residents a year.' - article

Or the deplete uranium Energy solutions paid our lawmakers...

to keep.

***'Board moves to regulate depleted uranium' - By Amy Joi O'Donoghue - DSNews - 12/08/09