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Redbud Activists We Salute You! |
Photo: Tree Sitters © Tony Ingraham
By Aubryn Allyn Sidle
ITHACA, NY - Three acres of trees and shrubs on University Avenue are the center of a two year debate in the Ithaca community. Redbud Woods, to its supporters, is a beautiful and priceless community green space. The same area is a "scrubby patch of trees with no real ecological value," to some Cornell University (CU) administrators, who want to construct a 176 car parking lot there.
Opposition to the parking lot has been overwhelming, across the board. The City of Ithaca has fought Cornell with time and money in the courts for more than two years, the University Hill neighborhood association has lobbied against it, and in an inspiring display of commitment and creativity, CU student activists have sustained a long-term lobby and direct action campaign to save the woods.
"Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson and the Landmarks Preservation Commission have fought long and hard to preserve Redbud woods," said Ithaca City Attorney Marty Luster. "Not only is it a beautiful and peaceful part of our City, it is part of an historic landscape that that the City hoped to protect. Unfortunately, the courts disagreed with us, so the final decision was up to Cornell."
More than a year ago CU student Liz Millhollen made history by staging a tree-sit more than 80 ft. high in the Redbud Woods. Several weeks ago 8 students locked themselves inside President Lehman's office while 150 others occupied the lobby of the university. Students and community members have sat in, locked down, rallied, dropped banners, planted gardens, tree sat, and yes, politely negotiated in an inspirational surge of energy to change CU's mind about the proposed parking lot for students that the students don't even seem to want: the student assembly has voted three times against the lot. 504 alumni (and counting) have publicly stated they will either withhold all future support for the university or strongly consider doing so if the lot happens.
"We sat in because we love Cornell and we don't want it to make an anti-democratic and unsustainable mistake," shares organizer Danny Pearlstein. Organizer Lynne Feeley says, "I learned great new skills like climbing trees, dealing with officials, how to organize democratic meetings, and direct actions."
"What is so special about the Redbud Woods?" people ask. An adequate response seems to be quite simple: It is a loved piece of green space in a community where many people choose to live quite precisely because green space is so cherished.
Contact: aubrynallyn@yahoo.com
Tel: 607-272-9635
Web: www.redbudwoods.org
ITHACA, NY - Three acres of trees and shrubs on University Avenue are the center of a two year debate in the Ithaca community. Redbud Woods, to its supporters, is a beautiful and priceless community green space. The same area is a "scrubby patch of trees with no real ecological value," to some Cornell University (CU) administrators, who want to construct a 176 car parking lot there.
Opposition to the parking lot has been overwhelming, across the board. The City of Ithaca has fought Cornell with time and money in the courts for more than two years, the University Hill neighborhood association has lobbied against it, and in an inspiring display of commitment and creativity, CU student activists have sustained a long-term lobby and direct action campaign to save the woods.
"Ithaca Mayor Carolyn Peterson and the Landmarks Preservation Commission have fought long and hard to preserve Redbud woods," said Ithaca City Attorney Marty Luster. "Not only is it a beautiful and peaceful part of our City, it is part of an historic landscape that that the City hoped to protect. Unfortunately, the courts disagreed with us, so the final decision was up to Cornell."
More than a year ago CU student Liz Millhollen made history by staging a tree-sit more than 80 ft. high in the Redbud Woods. Several weeks ago 8 students locked themselves inside President Lehman's office while 150 others occupied the lobby of the university. Students and community members have sat in, locked down, rallied, dropped banners, planted gardens, tree sat, and yes, politely negotiated in an inspirational surge of energy to change CU's mind about the proposed parking lot for students that the students don't even seem to want: the student assembly has voted three times against the lot. 504 alumni (and counting) have publicly stated they will either withhold all future support for the university or strongly consider doing so if the lot happens.
"We sat in because we love Cornell and we don't want it to make an anti-democratic and unsustainable mistake," shares organizer Danny Pearlstein. Organizer Lynne Feeley says, "I learned great new skills like climbing trees, dealing with officials, how to organize democratic meetings, and direct actions."
"What is so special about the Redbud Woods?" people ask. An adequate response seems to be quite simple: It is a loved piece of green space in a community where many people choose to live quite precisely because green space is so cherished.
Contact: aubrynallyn@yahoo.com
Tel: 607-272-9635
Web: www.redbudwoods.org
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