Dear Editor:I am writing this letter to express my deep concern for the many mature trees that are being removed from or neighborhood streets here in Downey. I understand that general maintenance must be done to keep trees groomed and looking good, but the removal of these trees actually devalues the neighborhoods. Every time a mature tree is lost the homeowner will lose between 10-20% of the homes value. Even if the tree is replaced with a new tree it will still take years to recoup the value that has been lost. Earlier this week I took a walk down Downey Avenue and when I arrived at the intersection of Downey and Lexington Street I noticed that two of the 100-year-old palm trees had been removed. These trees were very historic because they at one time marked the entrance to the old Willieford Ranch that stood at that corner. There were also many other old palm trees marked along the street for removal. In my opinion this is wrong. These trees help to give our city its character; they are part of our identity. We as a city need to be preserving what makes Downey a great place to live. Our city has a great future ahead of it, but we must look to the past to proceed forward. Please save these trees so future generations can be surrounded by the historic fabric that makes our city special. -- George Redfox, Downey

********** Published: September 2, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 20