Ann Taylor and her dog by the stump of the tree she tried to save. Credit: Matthew Roy

Two weeks ago, Ann Taylor wanted to save a towering cottonwood tree by Burlington’s waterfront so badly that she chained herself to it and urged passers-by to call the mayor.

City officials said the tree had to go as part of a project to widen and improve the Burlington Bike Path. In a narrow right-of-way by railroad tracks, there was no place to move the trail, the city said.

This morning, contractors cut down the tree. “I was very close to tears,” Taylor said afterward, sitting by the stump with her dog, Bode Miller. “I, in a way, had been saying goodbye for two weeks.”

She said she’ll always “have a vision of it being present and being a gift for us.”

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News editor Matthew Roy has been at Seven Days since 2014. Before that, he was an editor at The Virginian-Pilot.

5 replies on “Dream to Save a Tree Dies”

  1. Thank you Ann Taylor for trying to save the tree! I have only been on the bike path 2 times and it was about 7 years ago, but I remember that tree well. I love trees and when one is old and not looking like it needs a trim or going to fall down, I don’t understand how we can just cut it down. They could of just trimmed it or cut one of the forks down. and saved most of the tree. I would of stood with you! So thank you for trying to save a tree! <3
    Amelia Klein

  2. Thank you Ann Taylor for trying to save the tree! I have only been on the bike path two times about 7 years ago. I I remember that tree well. I love trees. One a tree is old or falling down, then I could understand removing it. I don’t understand why the city just cut it down when they could of just trimmed it or cut one of the forks down, and saved most of the tree.

    I would of stood with you!

    So thank you for trying to save a tree!

    Stay strong and fight for what you believe to be the right thing to do!

    Love and Peace to you

  3. I think saving trees IS bettering the community. Most cities have nonprofit groups to support green space. It’s good that we don’t need that here!

  5. Many people see the felling of this grand old tree as a turning point in awareness, a revitalization of the dream.

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