On Dec. 3, an over 50 year old willow oak tree was removed from the arboretum at Poolesville High School by the construction crew, and in early Nov, construction removed a “wetland” area from the front of the school as well. The tree removal was to make way for a turn-around loop by the tennis courts, needed for emergency access, and followed forest conservation requirements. Meanwhile the wetland area planted by Global students was removed from the front of the school by the construction team to facilitate better drainage.
The wetlands were planted in 2001 by former magnet coordinator Ms. Billie Bradshaw in an attempt to combat parking lot runoff. Since then, it has been planted with wetland foliage by Global students.
But recently, that area was removed by the construction team, and replaced with a new drainage system.
“[The wetlands were] improperly retaining water based on its design, likely due to a lack of maintenance or a clog somewhere within its construction,” said Deraleau. “This area has been reconstructed in alignment with current State and County Stormwater Management Regulations as a new micro-bio retention facility.”
The willow oak tree was estimated to be between 50 and 55 years old. It was cut down during advisory on Dec. 3, which is when it drew the attention of staff member and former Global teacher, Mr. Dan Savino.
“My first thought was, why are they doing that?” stated Savino.
Savino has been a teacher at PHS for 21 years, 17 of which he spent as a Global Ecology physics teacher. Savino is currently a paraeducator working in special education at PHS.
“Every Global student that has come through our program has sat under that tree before or after our Global trips,” said Savino. “There’s a lot of sentiment that goes along with a tree that’s been there that long in the arboretum… it’s like the grandparent of the Arboretum.”
Conservation efforts were taken into account by construction, according to Mr. Christopher Deraleau, MCPS Project Manager.
“As a part of the forest conservation requirements, this tree has been offset with multiple new trees in the expanded forest conservation areas near the stadium/on the far eastern reaches of campus,” said Deraleau.
Since the start of construction, 44 trees have been removed from campus, and over 200 have been planted, Deraleau claims. Yet, Savino states that there is difficulty in replacing the oak tree.
“Those large trees offset so much carbon and oxygen. 100 trees does not replace that one big tree, until they are well mature,” stated Savino. “So for the time being, there’s hardly an equal to a tree like that.”
Savino worked with Mrs. Elizabeth Hillard and Ms. Erin Binns to preserve a slice of the tree trunk to later be displayed in the greenhouse.
