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Citizen complaint of the day: Tree jumpers in the Public Garden
By adamg on Thu, 10/31/2019 - 9:48am
A concerned citizen files a 311 complaint:
Walking through public garden observed many people climbing and jumping on tree branches
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Comments
Mr Burns
Send in the beanbag guns
People are having fun!
Make them stop!!
Those trees have a hard life
I've seen them take a lot of damage from people climbing out on the limbs.
I would agree with you, Scratchy but ...
... Bob is right.
I do confess that years ago I allowed my dog to climb trees in the Public Garden. He had powerful hind legs and loved being up high. Scared the hell out of the squirrels and impressed the tourists.
I didn’t know at the time he was causing harm till a park ranger informed me.
But you knew he was supposed to be leashed, right?
Your dog isn't special, dude.
Not necessarily
The Common has two designated off leash areas. (Edit: I see now he said ‘public garden’ so no off leash)
Duplicate message
please delete
Worst case scenario
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1995/9/30/celebrated-tree-finally-fal...
The horror! Having fun is
The horror! Having fun is most certainly not allowed.
Would you like someone to
visit your yard, if you have a yard, and climb your tree, if you have a tree?
Would you be ok with that?
My yard isn't a public park.
My yard isn't a public park.
You make an interesting point
You make an interesting point, if you have a point, but if I have a tree, and if it's in a yard, and if the yard is a public space, and if that public space invites people to interact with the physical environment, and if those people have the ability to climb, then I could see being okay with it. But I'm going out on a limb here, and I'm not sure that's allowed.
The PUBLIC Gardens
Are built for the PEOPLE
"Garden", not "Gardens"
Pet peeve.
this is a public place
Kinda big difference there, no? I would say if you want to dictate the lives of everyone around you go back to your house then, but you really shouldn't do that anywhere
It's a passive park
meant for quiet enjoyment of the scenery. If you want an active park, go next door to the Common or across Storrow Drive to the Esplanade.
Like HL Mencken said
“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.”
We can modernize this to "having fun."
Could it be time travelers from the future...
Who landed in a tree?
Well, it is against the rules...
No rational(e*) explained though. I suspect a good one might be for safety reasons (tree and humans), and maybe a little CYA for the Park.
https://www.boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks-rules-and-...
No person shall, in any public park (including any boundary road thereof), or other public place (including any parkway) under the control of the Parks and Recreation Commission, except under the auspices of public authority:
(a) sit, stand or lie upon, or climb upon or over, any balustrade, railing, fence, wall, roof, statue, monument, fountain, bush or tree; o
*Edit: I forgot the "e". My intent was to indicate there was no rationale stated, not that it is not rational!
Should we hold
A public execution on the Common or maybe disregard the 311 complaint on move on with our day?
Isn't being against the rules enough?
why do you need a "rational" explanation?
I think it’s reasonable to expect an explanation.
It’s also more effective to include one as people tend to respect rules more often if the understand the reason why.
Why do you think?
The state would prefer you not break either type of limb.
Seriously?
Umm.....
... that they are beautiful trees, some of them rare specimens, carefully tended in a manicured but heavily used garden, isn't an obvious enough rationale for you?
It’s not permitted...
... in the Arboretum either but they explain why.
Several beautiful trees there have been damaged and limbs broken off by people climbing them.
I occasionally enjoy climbing trees but do without in places like this.
Just because a rule exists
Just because a rule exists doesnt mean it's a good rule or that you should always adhere to it.
The rules against climbing trees, etc, in a public place
The rules against climbing and/or jumping out of trees in public places such as the Boston Common, the Arboretum, and other such places have been implemented for reasons that should be obvious as the light of day: Those trees, etc., are for people to enjoy viewing, and to have shade from the sun, and are part of the city's open green space sections. People should not be allowed to do whatever they please to these trees, since it damages them and ruins the enjoyment for other people.
"and all the monkeys aren't
"and all the monkeys aren't in a zoo
every day you'll meet quite a few"
Thoughts and prayers to this
Thoughts and prayers to this concerned citizen's neighbors.
Is this a female like the Giving Tree?
I agree with the 311 texter. No tree should be stepped on, especially a female tree. That's abuse!
It is too obviously a male
It is too obviously a male tree.
This is the problem
This is the problem
With modern conservation. Attempting to keep nature underneath a glass dome further alienates us from it. How about the massive amounts of pollution we cause every year and the detrimental affects it has on the environment ? I wonder if the person reporting the 311 has considered their own life choices before Hating on some kids climbing a tree in a public park of all
Placss
It's weird, but I can see both sides
I grew up climbing trees and building giant, barely safe, tree forts. However, that happened in trees that my parents or neighbors owned, not in a park. If a kid breaks a branch on a public tree, I feel like he's taken something away from everyone else. I think the 311'er was out of line to complain, but somewhere there IS a line between public use and protection of the public resource.
My tree fort
Had two floors, electricity and an elevator.
Ok, it was a rope on a pulley with a crate full of rocks that went up when you went down but it was cool when I was 8.
Pretty fancy
Ours had built-in bunks for sleeping, wood paneling, glass windows and (in one iteration until my sister finked on us) a wood stove.
Kids?
Those aren't kids. The man in the photo with the red and white shoulder patch has a full beard.
The Public Garden
...is a botanical garden—not a park or playground! It was created for people to admire and respect the varies species of plants and trees that were/are planted there.
Today too many people think everything/everywhere is their personal playground.
There's parks and then there's parks
Some parks are meant for large concerts, athletic contests, or otherwise using the land hard. Others are not. The Public Garden, and its plantings, are not meant to be used hard. There are thousands of trees elsewhere to climb.
The Public Garden is about as natural as a skyscraper
It's a planned and maintained man-made environment.
And I like it that way and I'm happy for rules that keep people off the grass and out of the trees.
And keep your damn mutts out of the flower beds.
Ah, it's all good fun until
Ah, it's all good fun until someone breaks their neck and ends up paralyzed.
As a financial contributor to
As a financial contributor to caring for the trees in the Public Garden, Boston Common and Comm. Ave. Mall I think any adult climbing these trees, many of which are old and barely hanging on, is a spoiled brat who has never gone out of his way to give a damn about his community.
Anybody, be they an adult, adolescent or a child,
Anybody, whether they're an adult, adolescent or a child who goes around climbing these trees in the Public Garden, Boston Common, Comm. Ave. Mall, or any other public city park is a spoiled, out-of-control brat who doesn't give a rat's ass about his or her community.
The Arnold Arboretum
used to have a cork tree. It was the only tree you were allowed to climb. Unfortunately it eventually broke under the weight of all the people who did climb it.
Requiem for a Cork Tree
Yep, used to love that tree
So sad when it broke, but it died as it lived, so it's all good I guess.