"So, all I'm saying is, if you get involved in this debate now you might not have to chain yourself to a tree later."

...Or an airplane/hangar/runway.

I read about that whole Park Point-trees thing in the paper a while back and it was dismaying, but only in an abstract way.  

When I went out there last spring and discovered trees festooned with ribbons to the extent that it appeared they intended to clear-cut pretty much the entire area past the airport, however, I was appalled.  

But I still haven't done anything about it--which is something I guess I should correct.

All Riverside needs is one BIG bonfire. I lived there for five years and renamed it Sewerside. So glad I moved.

Maybe they should rule that only seaplanes can use Sky Harbor. 

Everybody else can use the real airport.

@ E: that'll learn ya.

The News Tribune has a story about this today. It says there are now two options on the table, both of which call for cutting hundreds of trees.

Two city councilors want to look at the possibility of closing the airport to everyone but seaplanes, which would mean no tree cutting. But that idea faces opposition. 

I'd like to know how many people use that old growth forest, compared with how many people use the airport. I always see people hiking there, and only rarely see planes taking off.

It was my favorite hike in Duluth and that's saying something. Unfortunately what will matter to most people is the amount of money spent by pilots versus hikers and birdwatchers, not how many of each there are, or any value other than economic.

I'm amazed this was news to people.  Parks & Rec Commission approved the Riverside sale on October 14, 2009.  Riverside community was informed.

Everything was public.  We'd discussed and gathered information for months prior, sharing info with City Council.  Most present Councilors were on the Council then.

Sky Harbor has 13,000 operations (takeoffs and landings) per year. That's over 1000 per month, or more than 30 per day.

I personally had 16 operations there in one day last week. 

It's busier than most people realize. 

Jeno Palucci's 3 classic planes fly out of Sky Harbor - up to his "Outpost" in Quettico.

Hmmm, I was out on the Vista with family on Saturday and a float plane lined up to land at Sky Harbor. I was watching it--it looked a bit different--and the captain came on a bit later and said that it was a Paulucci plane, some old model (I have no wisdom about planes).  He said that when the Paulucci plane flies in they will frequently alert the captain of the Vista that they will be landing.  Money talks, perhaps that is why there will always be an airport there?

"(On a related note, I'd like to dispel the myth that only wealthy people own and fly their own airplanes...it just isn't true.)"

But do you know anyone who is poor who own and fly their own planes?

"Poor" people will pool their money to buy a plane.  My science teacher earned next to nothing at our Catholic high school yet managed to own a share with some other guys.  He took many of us students on flights.  It was a great way to see his physics lessons in real life.  Little airports like Sky Harbor offer pilots those kinds of opportunities.

As someone with over 20 years of history in the environmental community in this area and who is closely tied to the airport community (my family has had a business at Sky Harbor since 1987) I would like to make a few points:

1. Many people from all walks of life own airplanes. You sacrifice for what you love, as a previous commenter noted. Yes, rich people own airplanes (the airplanes in question - Beech 18s - and the Outpost, were sold by Paulucci a few years back) but so do some blue collar working folks as well(the majority of our customers).

2. Sky Harbor is unique in providing both float and land based operations. Folks switch back and forth seasonally (and sometimes onto skis) so it is essential to have both options available at the same airport. Hence why you cannot move all land operations to Bong or the "Big Airport."

3. The Minnesota Point ecosystem is unique. Those are some neat old (and young) trees in the pine forest. The beach plant community is special. It is a great place to hike and run and hang out (though since most of the forest in question is part of a SNA you really are not allowed to picnic or walk your dog. The DNR has a lot of rules about what can and cannot take place in an SNA, check out: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/rules.html).

It is important to look at all sides of the issue, do your research, and not just take a stand based on the rhetoric you read in the paper, hear on the news or read in someone's email. 

A lot of folks have been working long and hard on this issue for years. The FAA is, at times, pushing a hard line. But they have granted a few concessions as well in order to keep the airport operational while a solution is being worked out. 

Most pilots are aware of the "obstruction" and work around it. On the other hand, Sky Harbor has been operating for 71 years and I am sure that not all of the trees that are a problem now were in existence then (the pictures from the early years show a pretty barren area, plus there were approx. 40 or so cabins in the area way back when - the Pine Knot cabin being the last standing).

It seems that a good faith effort is being made by the DAA to work within the system and with all interested parties to come up with a compromise that meets the needs of the majority of "stake holders" (hate that term, but it seems to be the new buzz word). 

On the other hand, I have recently heard some outright misinformation from supporters of the Tree Commissions stance (which embarrasses me as an environmentalist).

The issue is not as black and white as some would have you believe. There is much room for discussion, negotiation and compromise. It is not "us vs them." 

Stay involved ... keep an eye on the process ... and remember that we live in a world where we daily make choices that impact the environment in ways that may not be as readily tangible as cutting down a tree but have just as large an impact on the ecosystem.