Cutting Queens trees

The philosophy of speculators is that a minuscule $5,000 fine is nothing compared to the huge amount of money they will make when their large building, sometimes built illegally, is sold for millions.

Parks coalition wants better tree protection

Slides showed that the actual building of the much praised award winning "green building" in the Queens Botanical Gardens actually resulted in the death of a number trees near the building. We could see the bad construction practices taking place and how these trees have few leaves left any more. [Carsten] Glaeser explained that there are ways to construct ecologically but this probably costs money, yet the city want to spend money to plant trees.

The School Construction Authority, and other city agencies, also fail to take trees into account when drawing up their construction plans. Instead of taking the time to change the plans a little, engineers get permission to cut down the trees. Slides were shown of this practice. In addition, new sewer construction often causes roots to be cut and the trees die a few years later. Does the Mayor know this is happening?

The better question is "Does the mayor care?"