Dear Editor:

 

After reading information regarding citizen complaints for deforestation caused by public works workers and recent news about a project to “remodel” the Andador Almenas in Malanquín neighborhood:

 

A few months ago, during the development of the movement Salvemos 41 Árboles, a girl came to notify us that the municipality also wanted to remove the trees from the main Malanquín avenue. Today I found out the news is real, and they want to remove them, not because of “maintenance of public highway,” but for not being endemic. I feel sorry about them taking those arguments to exercise their power and their need to impose spaces without green areas on people.

 

I very much doubt the municipality takes the same measures with the non-endemic vegetation in downtown or in parks near expensive neighborhoods mostly full of North Americans and foreign rich Mexican people. I doubt they take the same “cautions” that they took when they got rid of the trees from Salida a Celaya to make the overpass construction—the cautions to cover the trees with huge screens so people couldn’t see how they pulled them up. And I doubt it just because Malanquin is not downtown area or touristic zone.

 

When we visit the outskirts of cities, there’s always an element in common, besides violence: the lack of green spaces. I believe the limitation of trees (of any type), vegetation, and community spaces—where these abound – is an aggression that we have unattended and internalized, as well as getting rid of existing vegetation as if they had no value.

 

We have enough studies that talk about the benefits of a landscape full of trees to reduce stress and crime and we have enough information to develop eco-friendly infrastructures. These governments, beyond being incompetent, are snobbish and violent.

 

I appreciate the space and the time given to read this text.

 

Sincerely

Victoria Delgado

City dweller.