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Post Number: 1
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Whistle Blower 2010
Group: Members
Posts: 71
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Mar. 05 2010,10:48 pm |
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I was driving by Hammer Road and noticed that there was alot of trees being cut down on the golf course.
My guess would be that they had to do this because of the new runway at the airport ?
It's sad to see the nice trees go.
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Post Number: 2
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ICU812
Group: Super Administrators
Posts: 3244
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2010,7:43 am |
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New trees can b planted. It is a known fact that newer young trees eat more CO2 than older ones. It will be alright.
You should have been around when we were clearing trees for the crops back in the day. We really took em down back then.
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Post Number: 3
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hymiebravo
Group: Members
Posts: 4989
Joined: Jan. 2006
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2010,8:48 am |
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QUOTE You should have been around when we were clearing trees for the crops back in the day. We really took em down back then.
Yes, then you had all that "sod" too.
QUOTE The very dense soil plagued the first settlers who were using wooden plows, which were more suitable for loose forest soil. On the prairie the plows bounced around and the soil stuck to them. This problem was solved in 1837 by an Illinois blacksmith named John Deere who developed a steel moldboard plough that was stronger and cut the roots, making the fertile soils ready for farming. The tallgrass prairie has been converted into one of the most intensive crop producing areas in North America. Less than one tenth of one percent (<0.09%) of the original landcover of the tallgrass prairie biome remains.[6] States formerly with landcover in native tallgrass prairie such as Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Missouri have became valued for their highly productive soils and are included in the Corn Belt. As an example of this land use intensity, Illinois and Iowa for the United States, rank 49th and 50th out of 50 states in total uncultivated land remaining.
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Post Number: 4
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Alfy Packer
Group: Members
Posts: 1197
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2010,8:52 am |
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Thank you Jim Hanson!
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Post Number: 5
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Post Number: 6
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Post Number: 7
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Expatriate
Group: Members
Posts: 16406
Joined: Oct. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 06 2010,11:52 am |
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^^^
-------------- History is no more than the lies agreed upon by the victors. ~NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
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Post Number: 8
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Whistle Blower 2010
Group: Members
Posts: 71
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Mar. 07 2010,4:23 am |
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I have noticed in the past years the golf course has had to cut the tops of the larger trees because of the airport issues.
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Post Number: 9
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jimhanson
Group: Moderator
Posts: 8491
Joined: Aug. 2003
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Posted on: Mar. 07 2010,1:28 pm |
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Someone brought this to my attention. I'll be glad to respond.
Nobody likes to see trees cut down, but consider this:
The City--through MN/DOT Aeronautics, has paid the golf course TWICE for the rights to keep the obstructions down to Federally mandated levels.
The new runway--planned in 1953--is 400 feet west of the old one. Only 90 trees need be cut or trimmed for the new runway.
Had the runway been reconstructed in the present place--16 properties would have been affected, a number of houses would have to be purchased, and nearly 500 trees taken out or topped.
The golf course has been kept in the loop for the entire project in the last 10 years. The landscaping at the golf course is at no cost to them. MN/DOT spent an additional $10,000 in landscaping to make sure that the trees never have to be topped again. Nearly 4 times as many trees will be planted as those cut down or trimmed.
The previous consultant had a runway 400' longer than what is being built. That would have required shortening up two holes at the golf course. We made do with the shorter runway.
MN/DOT and the FAA wanted to zone for an ILS approach to land over the golf course to the north--something that would have required either shutting down the golf course or swapping airport land north of Hammer Road to maintain the course. We pressed MN/DOT and FAA to make the approach from the NORTH so the golf course wouldn't be affected.
FAA and MN/DOT wanted to put in an ILS approach, like Owatonna, Austin, and Mason City have. That would have required a large clear zone on the golf course for the missed approach zone. Instead, I pointed out that we already have a GPS approach that gets us down to very nearly the same minimums and does NOT require the large approach zone--saving the golf course.
I would point out to all of the big-government fans that these are GOVERNMENT mandates--not local. We have been in the unusual position of telling government that we DON'T WANT the full system they propose.
The result? This project will come in at half of Owatonna's project, and 40% of Austins.
Trees--nearly 4 times as many will be planted as taken down or trimmed.
The golf course will not have to be disrupted for trimming again. It will be re-landscaped at no cost to them--not because we HAD to--but because it was the right thing to do.
Major disruption or elimination of the golf course was avoided by shortening the runway, changing the instrument approach, and settling for slightly higher approach minumums.
The project was done much cheaper than originally proposed.
No houses had to be purchased. No homeowner large trees had to be cut. Only 8 acres of unbuildable swampland had to be purchased. The safety zone next to Edgewater park can be incorporated for park trails (but no structures).
The facts are well-documented in the Airport Commission minutes, correspondence with MN/DOT and FAA--and the design consultants.
No other airport project that I have ever seen has taken such care to have a minimal (or even beneficial) impact on the surrounding communty. Literally thousands of hours and thousands of dollars have been expended.
With people running off at the mouth without the facts, is it any wonder that this site has been called a bunch of whiners and complainers? Complain all you want to--but get the facts first.
-------------- "If you want to anger a Conservative, tell him a lie. If you want to anger a LIBERAL, tell him the TRUTH!"
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Post Number: 10
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hairhertz
Group: Members
Posts: 3489
Joined: Dec. 2004
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Posted on: Mar. 07 2010,2:16 pm |
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Jim, Good report. Thanks.
-------------- metis movement
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