Felled Halibut Point trees raise backlash
Apr. 17—ROCKPORT — A Rockport resident is planning to protest the Halibut Point State Park parking lot project after contractors cleared out most of the trees in the area.
Annette Dion said her protest is planned for Sunday at noon at the park.
"We're going to all go out and hold signs that read 'We Stand for the Trees,'" she said.
The parking lot project kicked off on Monday, April 12. While out for a walk that morning, Dion was horrified to see the parking lot area nearly barren.
"Every tree in the fenced area is coming down," she said. "Every single tree."
As of Friday, the parking lot's trees bordering Gott Avenue, the south and west edges and on various the traffic islands are no more. At least 30 trees have been felled.
"Wetlands on the edges of the lot limited the (parking lot) redesign and several trees were identified for removal," wrote DCR Press Secretary Olivia Dorrance in an email to the Times. "Many of these trees were non-native and in poor health."
Dion claims these trees were taken down without the public's knowledge.
"I knocked on the doors of three abutters. They said they were unaware of the trees coming down," she explained.
However, in 2019, the public was invited to discuss all aspects of the Halibut Point revitalization project over multiple hearings. Some of these meetings were attended by Times reporters.
"After obtaining public feedback through those meetings and incorporating it into the plan, a Notice of Intent was submitted to the Conservation Commission, and DCR participated in a public hearing and public site walk-through as part of that process," explained Dorrance. "Park neighbors participated in the public meetings during project development, and park abutters received official notification as part of the Conservation Commission process."
At these meetings, the DCR made clear that it planned to remove and replace the diseased and dying fauna at Halibut Point. This means more trees are expected to come down elsewhere in the park.
"The proposed plans at both public meetings and those submitted to the Conservation Commission did show tree removal," wrote Dorrance. "The project scope includes plantings of native trees and shrubs that are expected to live longer, and are more resilient than the dying and non-native decaying trees."
Construction on the Halibut Point State Park parking lot is expected to conclude on Friday, May 28. The park will remain open, but guests will need to find parking elsewhere.
"Some work will continue along the edges of the parking lot and other parts of the property after that date, including planting vegetation and installing site amenities," Dorrance wrote. "New welcome signs will also be installed after the sign selection is finalized by DCR."
Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.
