Airplanes are landing at Bowman Field. Trees continue growing around Bowman Field. Some neighborhood residents have formed Plea for Trees, a group dedicated to saving the trees.

An enormous amount of tax money is about to be spent for another assessment to assess the previous assessment that assessed yet another previous assessment.

Let’s inject some sanity into this situation.

Why must we spend nearly $500,000 on a study of 150 trees (or clusters)? That’s $3,303.33 per tree…for a study. Let’s spend that money trimming tree tops that are in the standard glide paths of the runways, which are defined on pilot approach/departure charts.

We all love trees. We all make choices when we buy houses at or near airports. Trees grow. Trees that collide with airplanes must be maintained. We get it. Trim the trees. We all love the planet and part of being good stewards of earth is to trim trees that could kill people flying in airplanes.

Sanity overrides known danger. Save the $500,000 study money and use it for crumbling infrastructure elsewhere.

Worried about the tree count? For every tree that has to be taken down, plant a new one. Just place it at least 100 yards to the right or left of any runway approach path and it won’t grow to be a problem in the future.

My Plea for Trees is a plea for people to use logic when planting trees. The airport has been here longer than any of the people who live around it.

When you plant a tree, don’t put it in an approach path or you are merely planting a new problem for the next generation.

Let’s use our tax money to patch potholes, resurface tattered roadways, and bolster cracking bridge supports.

Mother Nature will take care of her trees.

BTW, the Courier-Journal trees article offers nice aerial videos from pilot Steve Koch. Take a ride.