OWASSO, Okla. — As Kara Kerr took a stroll through Owasso's Centennial Park, she noticed dozens of trees marked with an X and wrapped in ribbon.
“I was worried that they were gonna cut them down,” Kerr said.
WATCH: What's happening to the trees at Centennial Park?
Her worries will come true. Larry Langford, Owasso's director of Recreation and Culture, confirmed crews will chop down about fifty trees.
“Our goal is to beautify the park, and to make way for future growth in the park,” Langford said.
Langford says it is part of a three-year plan at the park.
THE PLAN
YEAR 1: Remove 50 “obviously unhealthy” trees.
YEAR 2: Crews will survey the remaining trees. The borderline trees, and those hoarding space for better trees will be removed.
YEAR 3: New trees will be planted along with the remaining original trees.
“Just because a tree’s marked at this time, doesn’t mean they're gone, that just means those are the ones that are in question,” Langford said.
“This park floods a lot,” Kerr said.
Langford echoed those sentiments.
“This park is all in a flood plain,” Langford said.
In Kerr’s mind, the trees serve an important purpose.
“Trees are really good for helping with that runoff and absorbing all the water and stabilizing the soil,” Kerr said.
Langford blames the above, for the decay.
Researchers at the university of Minnesota say, “flooding may cause direct damage to trees by changing soil conditions, interrupting normal oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange between trees and their environment, sedimentation and physical damage.”
All in all, Kerr encourages the city to use stronger messaging techniques.
“Involve the citizens and communicate with them,” Kerr said, “They would all have thoughts and opinions and would also be willing to contribute to help with things, like volunteering, planting new trees, replacing ones that have been torn down, things like that.”
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