The destruction of an acre and a half of trees along a public greenbelt has drawn condemnation and sparked civil lawsuits

Settling into homes with gold-plated views is the goal for many who come to West Seattle. And so headlines blared when residents learned that some neighbors, seeking a better view than they already had, had hacked down more nearly an acre and a half of trees along a public greenbelt.

The unpermitted choppings on the city-owned West Duwamish Greenbelt – which is prone to landslides and relies on trees to stabilize the soil – destroyed more than 150 big-leaf maple trees and Scouler willows. As fall begins, a riot of rotting log carcasses and gnarly moss-draped limbs are still strewn about the site. There are deep pockmarks, too, and gashes left by the wholesale clear-cut.

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Source: Guardian Environment