ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. — A group of longtime residents of Atlantic Beach are outraged. Developers are moving in and tearing down a 100 year old oak.
It is more than aesthetics. Trees protect the environment, their homes, and when it rains the roots protect the streets from flooding.
Long timers worry if their canopy of oaks are destroyed, it’ll have far reaching impacts for Atlantic Beach.
“It’s a big deal for the neighborhood," said Sean Keane, who lives nearby.
“It’s part of who we are!” Jane Wytzka explains. She lives two doors down from the tree at risk.
As I turned down 2nd street, a crowd of more than a dozen homeowners gathered in disappointment. Neighbors are staring at the next victim: a 100 year old Oak.
“They’re following the law. I’m inclined to say just because you can doesn’t mean you should," said Wytzka. "They’ve paid fines to take down the tree. Is it right? I don’t think so.”
Wytzka says a new home in being built with a design for a large driveway with no room for this tree.
“They protect us," explained Dan Giovannucci. "Trees can suck up thousands of gallons of water every day so when we have those huge storms, they’re a major asset.”
Giovannucci is the Vice Chair of Environmental Sustainability Committee for the city of Atlantic Beach.
“Right now we have the freedom to cut whatever we want when we want and that is going to cause the demise of the community ultimately," Dan Giovannucci said. "The community we know and love.”
Wytzka has benefited from it’s shade since 1977. Can they save it?
“I don’t know. I don’t know," she admits.
Neighbors tell me the new homeowners are a couple from out of state possibly unaware of the impact of this decision. They have called and written to them.
I called the property owners and the Mayor, but did not get a response.
Residents hope if they can't save this tree, that they can at least bring awareness to what is happening to their oaks.
Giovannucci says he wants to see stricter ordinances in place to prevent removal of mature trees that are healthy.
He says trees like this are irreplaceable and may never grow back.
“It’s going to be literally centuries if they can, but most of them because of the change of environment won’t ever be the same way so these are the artifacts we pass on to our kids and our grandchildren and to our community," he said.
You can join the conversation by joining their Facebook group Atlantic Beach Canopy.